Eclipse
by Sandra Evans
Summary: It is an act of nature: the sun and moon are drawn to one another like moths to a flame. When they finally touch, there is nothing. No heat, no cold. Just an Eclipse. Zutara. Complete.
1. Captive

He had expected the blue eyes across from him to be wide and filled fear. But they weren't. Instead, they were narrowed and filled with anger. The girl's dark face was flushed with the intensity of the emotion, her nostrils flaring as she breathed. She had spirit; that much was obvious.

"So?" Azula asked with a smirk as she looked back at the seething water tribe girl, whose arms were chained behind her back and was flanked by several guards. "What do you think?"

Zuko looked between the girl, whose dark glare was settled solely on him, and his sister, whose eyes were shining the way they did when she was at one of her schemes. Something was off… Azula wouldn't just hand over one of the Avatar's friends to him on a silver platter. She had to have some sort of ulterior motive.

He didn't dare say anything against his sister. He knew the young woman too well. While she didn't have the volatile temper that he had been plagued with, she did have an eerie way of enjoying another's suffering. He did not want to be at the receiving end of her lightning again.

"I thank you, my sister, for your most considerate gift," Zuko replied after careful consideration and bowed to his sister respectfully, his hands pressed so close together that his knuckles turned white with the intensity of the grip.

Azula grinned. "Excellent," she murmured, and Zuko felt his skin crawl at the tone of her voice. She was plotting something, and he only wished he knew what it was. For the hundredth time since Iroh had been taken as a prisoner, Zuko longed for his uncle's guidance.

"Mai, Ty-Lee, escort the water bender to Prince Zuko's chambers," Azula instructed, and the two girls nodded briefly to their friend, acquiescing as they always did to Azula's commands. Zuko felt sorry for them in a way; those two girls were more trapped than he would ever be.

Mai took one of the girl's arms, and Ty-Lee took the other before the two proceeded to drag the water bender to the room that Zuko had been assigned on the ship. Thankfully for the pair, they were in a ship made of steel and the girl had no access to water.

If she had… Zuko didn't want to think about what could have happened. She had fought like a master when he had faced her in the North Pole, and Zuko wasn't eager to face her again. Of course, he had won the battle the second time around, but now he was willing to admit that it had more to do with the element of surprise than actual skill.

Azula paced around the room for several minutes, leaving her brother to watch her out of the corner of his eyes. She was thinking, Zuko knew. Her fingers tapped together in a repeating sequence, the tips of her nails lightly scraping those of her opposite hand. Zuko wasn't quite sure when the trait had developed, but he did know what it meant: trouble, usually for him.

"How long has it been since you've been home, Zuko?" Azula asked after a few minutes of carefully studying her brother.

Zuko swallowed back some of the anger that he felt rising within him, and swiftly regulated his body temperature back to normal. "Three years," he replied briefly. Zuko knew full well that Azula had the amount of time he'd been gone counted down to the day.

"Hmm, such a long time, isn't it?" his sister replied, a note of sympathy in her tone. It was forced of course. Zuko had never known Azula to have true feelings towards anyone. As his Uncle had once said, Azula had a deadly calm about her. It was why she had been able to master lightning at such an early age.

"Yes," Zuko replied curtly, pushing the thoughts of his uncle to the back of his mind.

Azula studied him for a few more moments, circling around him, the constant tapping of her nails beginning to wear on Zuko's already stretched nerves. The calm that he had experienced in Ba Seng Se was nearly completely eroded away now, courtesy of his sister.

"You could be such a handsome man, Zuko. It is a shame about that scar. It makes you… less desirable." Zuko detected a hint of mockery in Azula's voice, and he gritted his teeth.

"Yes, it does," Zuko replied quietly. He neglected to mention the girl that had gotten Uncle Iroh to convince him to go on a date with her. He also failed to mention the fact that she kissed him before he had kissed her. It was better to let Azula have her fun.

"At least, I'm sure that father will see it that way. It will be a constant reminder to him of how weak you once were once we arrive at the Fire Nation," Azula continued with a cluck of her tongue. "Of course, he doesn't know you the way I do."

Zuko let out a pent up breath and resisted the urge to glare at his sister. Azula smirked slightly, as though she could see his inner struggle. "He doesn't understand how tough you've become. You betrayed the one man who has cared for you during your exile in order to prove your faithfulness towards our father's cause."

Zuko felt his shoulders tense and he looked straight into his sister's eyes. From the smile that blossomed onto her face, he knew that she saw the anger and self-loathing that burned within him. He had changed since he had been exiled; he saw things much differently now than he ever had before.

He hated himself for re-uniting with the man who was causing so much suffering in the world, and even more, he hated himself for turning his back on his uncle, the one man who had ever really loved him as a father loved a son.

"I'm going to go back to my room and meditate," Zuko informed his sister, never breaking eye contact.

Azula's grin widened a little. "You have a feisty girl waiting for you in there. I have a feeling she won't take kindly to you ignoring her for hours."

"She'll deal with it," Zuko replied, knowing that his sister probably was counting on the fact that the girl would stab him in the back with one of his broadswords the second he glanced the other way.

"Well then, go," Azula said when she saw Mai and Ty-Lee heading towards her. Mai blushed slightly when her gaze landed on Zuko, but then her eyes were drawn to the scar that spanned from his right eye to his ear, and she looked away quickly, as though she no longer saw the person behind the mark of shame.

Zuko watched the three leave, all as different as fire and water. Azula was beautiful, but she was ambitious and had a heart of stone. When she walked, she walked with purpose and fire. Mai, garbed in her dark clothing and with her glossy black hair shining down her shoulders cut a somber figure. She walked with a shuffle to her gait; a daughter of the war. And then there was Ty-Lee, a smile on her face, her heart on her sleeve, and a bounce in her step.

Zuko knew why Azula had chosen these girls to be her friends- they obeyed her. He wondered, however, what it was that drew the other two to his sister. Perhaps it was her beauty that drew others to her like a moth to a flame.

Abruptly, Zuko turned on his heel and headed down the corridors of the ship to his room, which he was sure was much smaller and less ornate than that of his sister's or those of her friends. He realized that he would be treated as a second-class citizen for the rest of his life so long as he remained with the Fire Nation.

As he continued down the hall, he thought on why Azula would have possibly made a gift to him of the water tribe girl. It was well known that she traveled with the Avatar, but Zuko would have thought that Azula would skip pass capturing the Avatar's friends and kill the boy right off the bat. What could she be up to…?

Once he reached the doors to his chamber, the answer hit him. The Avatar would follow the girl to the ends of the earth. Azula was reeling the boy in. But why? Surely the Avatar would come after the girl before they reached the Fire Nation. With the flying bison, the boy made very good time. And if Zuko had the girl, the Avatar would fight him and not Azula. Surely his sister would want the glory.

If he were to capture the Avatar, the Fire Lord would be forced to recognize Zuko as his rightful heir, and the boy knew without a doubt that Azula coveted the position. She would never relinquish it without a fight, especially to her scar-faced brother. So why was she pushing the Avatar right into his hands?

He was drawn from his thoughts by a loud crash against one of the walls in his chambers and was called back to the problem on hand. The water tribe girl. Zuko pushed all thoughts of Azula from his head and straightened his spine as he turned the handle.

/\

Katara growled deep in her throat as she grabbed another vase and hurled it with all her might at the nearest wall. She gained a small amount of satisfaction as the shards flew everywhere and littered the ground, but not enough to significantly improve her mood.

"Of all the stupid, asinine things that I've ever done, this one takes the cake!" she exclaimed, looking for something else to throw. The room was devoid of all breakable objects; the thousands of pieces that had once been priceless decorations were now all over the room, courtesy of the water bender's anger.

"Yeah, Katara! Insist on taking watch duty when you haven't slept for four days straight. Sokka could have done it! He wanted to do it! But no, you thought that he'd fall asleep on you. And now look what happened! You're the gift to some spoiled, rotten, scar faced, two timing, banished prince!" She kicked the wall that she had just thrown the vase against with every insult.

"Anyone I know?" The breathy, deep voice startled Katara, and she whirled around.

"You!" She exclaimed with some shock at his sudden arrival, and ran to charge at him.

Zuko easily caught her wrists in his hands, and the girl glared at him as she went to jerk away. Zuko held fast, and she struggled violently, but Zuko was stronger. "Let go of me!" Katara shouted as she continued to thrash.

"Calm yourself," Zuko hissed lowly, glancing towards the door.

"Calm myself? Calm myself!" Katara yelled, and Zuko released one of her arms to clap his hand over her mouth. That had been a mistake. Katara used her newly freed arm to elbow Zuko as hard as she could in his gut, and he let out an oomph of pain.

Quickly, he pinned her arms behind her back, and held them fast with one hand before swiftly covering her mouth with his free hand. Katara bucked and writhed, but he refused to let go.

"I guess this means I won't get to meditate," Zuko commented wryly, and the shouts that Zuko was currently struggling to stifle swelled in intensity.

"Quiet," he ordered, but that served to do nothing to ease her struggles. "If you promise you'll stop shouting, and that you'll let me speak before attacking me again, I'll let you go," he assured Katara, hoping that a different tactic would work. Miraculously, she stopped struggling.

Carefully, Zuko released his hold on the girl and sighed with relief when he noticed that she was standing still. "Kaya, right?" Zuko asked after a second, and winced when her glare grew darker.

"Katara," she muttered, and Zuko nodded slowly, repeating her name in his head to make sure that he would remember it the next time that he ran into her. He glanced the girl over, and he noticed that her shoulders straightened when she realized what she was doing. Yes, she certainly had spunk, and she was much stronger than she looked.

The girl's braid was in the process of falling out, and strands hung over her eyes, which were filled to the brim with loathing at the moment, giving her a sort of crazed look. Her clothing was dirty, as though she had been sleeping in mud, and she certainly didn't smell like a basket of roses either. More like one of the petting zoos that his mother had taken him to when he was little.

Her wrists were raw, and Zuko could plainly see where the irons had cut into the skin. They looked painful, and Zuko recalled with a wince how tight he had held them in order to restrain her. _They must hurt her,_ he realized abruptly.

Leaving Katara to stand there, Zuko crossed over to a large chest, thankful that she hadn't gotten into the pitcher of water inside. He dipped a handkerchief into the water, and warmed it a bit with fire bending. After a moment's consideration, he heated the entire pitcher to the point where the water was boiling. She wouldn't be able to touch the container and reach the water inside that way.

When he returned with the wet cloth, Katara sneered. "What? Do I smell too bad? Well, you should have expected it. I'm just a peasant, after all," she exclaimed, spitting out the word peasant as though it were a curse.

Zuko ignored her, and took her arms into his hands again, careful to avoid the red, raw areas where the chains had rubbed them. Gently, he placed the cloth over her wrists and Katara hissed in pain. Zuko frowned, and then led the girl over to the bed, where he promptly sat her down and then kneeled in front of her. "This might hurt," he explained as he dabbed softly at the area.

Zuko hadn't lied, it did hurt, and Katara felt herself on the brink of tears as he continued to wash the wounds. She was dimly aware of the pain receding, and then Zuko was sitting in front of her again, binding the wounds with two more wet cloths that he had pulled out of the wardrobe.

Then, he simply got back up and went over to a small table, where he proceeded to meditate. Katara frowned, and looked down at her wrists and back up at Zuko again. "Why did you help me?" she asked after a moment's hesitation, and Zuko didn't even bother to turn around.

"You offered to help me once. I thought that I'd return the favor," he replied without opening his eyes as he continued to count breathe, the flames flickering with each breath that he took.

Katara's eyes widened, and she chewed on her lip. She remembered. She had been about to heal Zuko's scar with the water from the sacred pool in the North Pole when Aang and Iroh and crashed into their prison. It was a good thing that she hadn't, she realized now. If she had, Aang most certainly would have died.

"How is the Avatar?" Zuko asked as though following her train of thought.

Katara's eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know?" she demanded. She had trusted him after a very short time down in the remains of the old Ba Seng Se, and he'd betrayed that trust. She wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

Zuko was silent, unable to answer the question. In all honesty, he wasn't quite sure why he asked. He skipped a breath, and the flames flickered around him. Quickly, he regained his grasp on meditation and he continued to breathe.

The silence in the room wore on Katara's already shot nerves, and served to add to her exhaustion. She hadn't slept for days; afraid of what would happen when she finally let her guard down around a group of Fire Nation soldiers. They hadn't touched her, thankfully, but how did she know that Zuko would be honorable? He betrayed his uncle for a sister that was quite obviously using him. And hadn't he been banished for dishonorable reasons?

Her tension was all the more obvious to Zuko as he meditated, and made it nearly impossible for him to concentrate. Finally giving up, he rose, and crossed back over to the wardrobe, pulling out a shirt of his Uncle's, as well as several extra blankets. When he turned to face Katara, he noticed how heavy her lids were and sighed.

"Here," he said simply, handing her the shirt. "You need to get out of those rags," he informed her, gesturing to the worn, stained clothing that she was wearing. Instantly, Katara's eyes snapped open and then narrowed in suspicion.

"You don't have to wear it. It was just a suggestion," he muttered in his defense, and laid out the blankets on the ground before tossing a pillow from his bed down onto the pile. "I'm going to sleep," he informed Katara, and fixed a severe eye on her. "You should sleep too."

Katara's stare didn't waver, but she stood and crossed over to her blankets. Zuko then turned his back to her, stripped himself of his outer clothing, and climbed into bed. Using fire bending, he dimmed the lights to nearly nothing.

It was only then that Katara made herself busy arranging the blankets into a nest for herself on the floor. After a quick glance in Zuko's direction proved that his back was to her, Katara wriggled out of her clothing and slipped into a shirt that fell below her knees. With one last glance at the fire bender, Katara slid into the nest of blankets, pulling the covers up to her chin.

The lights dimmed down to nothing as soon as she was settled, and Katara jumped slightly. A quick look back to Zuko showed that he hadn't moved. Had he really kept the lights dim for her sake, and lain awake in consideration for her? Katara pushed the thought from her mind angrily, wriggling deeper into the blankets.

The young water bender closed her eyes, but as tired as she was, sleep eluded her. _Why is he helping me?_ She wondered, her blue eyes staring straight up to the ceiling in the blackness. _He didn't have to wrap my wrists or give me blankets… he should have yelled at me for trashing his room, but he's done nothing. Why?_

Katara rolled over to her side with a groan, and then looked back at the fire bender to be sure he hadn't heard her. The boy's back rose and fell as though he was slumbering, and Katara sighed with relief that she hadn't been noticed.

_He's like how he was down in the cave. Quiet and… lonely? _Katara frowned at the thought, and then pushed it away again. The boy had changed since she had first met him, Katara had to admit. He was a different man now than he had been at the North Pole. She had no doubt that he would have killed her then with no remorse. Now, he was helping to heal her torn wrists.

But he had still betrayed their cause. He had the chance to join them against Azula, but instead he had returned to his sister's side- the same sister that had tried to kill him a few short months before. And because of him, Aang had nearly died.

The thought of that day caused Katara's chest to constrict with pain. Azula had killed Aang when he was in the Avatar state; that much Katara was sure about. She had held the boy close to her chest as she felt for a pulse, and her heart had stopped when she realized that there was none.

Katara squeezed her eyes shut as she felt waves of anguish wash over her as her mind wandered back to that moment. Since Aang had been killed in the Avatar state, his spirit had been unable to be re-incarnated. So it had hovered by his lifeless body as Katara ran with the boy in her arms to Appa, Aang's flying bison.

When she had placed the sacred water on the charred, black wound that seemed to be a whole straight through Aang's back, his spirit re-entered him, and he lived. It was nothing short of miraculous. Katara only hoped that the sacred waters wouldn't demand as great a price for its saving waters from Aang as they had from Yue.

Katara wondered how Aang's healing was coming. He had still been incredibly weak when she was taken, and she prayed to the Spirits that the boy would remain safe until she could return to him. Hopefully, Sokka would show some responsibility for once in his life and make sure that Aang stayed in bed until he was well.

Thinking of Sokka caused a wave of homesickness to wash over her. She had never in her life been separated from her brother before. Of course, there were times when she wished that they weren't related, like the time when he humiliated himself in front of the entire village by getting two fish hooks stuck in his thumb, or when they were in Kyoshi and he nearly got himself killed by insulting the group of female warriors, or the time when he drank the cactus juice…that had been pretty bad. He had been flirting with the empty space beside him on the sand speeder, for the Spirits' sakes.

However, as humiliating as he could be at times, she loved him. And although his bottomless hole of a stomach and sarcastic remarks drove her crazy, they also made her laugh. She'd do anything to have Sokka grabbing her food out of her hands and eating it right now. Or even to watch him try and roast Momo like he had wanted to at the Southern Air Temple.

Katara rolled over again, bunching the blankets closer around her. Not that she was cold, but the warmth offered her some measure of comfort in this foreign place. To distract herself from further thinking, Katara began to count Zuko's breaths.

She breathed in and out as he did, and the concentration that she put on such a mundane task finally coaxed her eyes closed and pushed all thoughts away. For the first time in days, the water bender slept.

/\

When Zuko awoke, it was just past dawn. His dreams had been troubled the night before, as they nearly always were. Either he dreamed about the day he had received the scar, or his mother, or his Uncle. On several, terrifying nights, he had dreamt of all three. Thankfully, last night wasn't one of those. He raised the flames in the lights slightly so that he could see, and then climbed out of bed.

He pulled his red robe back over him, and tied it closed with a small, very thin version of a black Obi. A glance downwards showed him that the girl… Katara, he remembered…was still asleep. She was curled into a tight ball, the blankets bunched around her. Her braid had come loose, and her hair was splayed out everywhere. A corner of his lips turned up ever so slightly at the sight. She certainly wasn't the most attractive sleeper that Zuko had ever seen.

His attention shifted from her to the clothing that was folded neatly on the floor beside her. Before he could change his mind, he picked up the articles and stuck his head out the door, hollering for a guard as he did so. A man rushed around the corner, and gave Zuko a little bow once he reached the prince.

"Have these cleaned and repaired," Zuko ordered, tossing the clothing at the guard. "They are offensive to me in their condition," he explained with a wave of his hand, and the guard bowed again.

"Of course, Prince Zuko," he replied before turning and hurrying away.

Zuko closed the door, and glanced at the water bender. She was still sleeping, thankfully. Zuko took a seat at his meditation table, glad for the chance to be able to meditate. He needed to find out what his sister was thinking, and quickly. It would be a difficult task, for Azula was brilliant. She was a prodigy, after all.

Zuko lit the candles on the table, and then began to breathe, the candles flickering with every breath and exhale. _What could Azula be doing? Why would she be dropping the Avatar right into my lap? It's not like she can't take him._ Breathe in; breathe out.

_She said that the girl was a gift to me; that I deserved her after all of my hard work. But she didn't say anything about the Avatar. _Breathe in; breathe out. _Azula always lies._

And then Zuko realized the truth. His sister was setting him up. She had separated him from his uncle so that he wouldn't have the guidance that he needed when the time came. She didn't capture the girl so that he would destroy the Avatar. She did so because she wanted to destroy the boy on her own. And by proving that Zuko had ample opportunity to kill the Avatar and had failed, their father would have no choice but to kill Zuko once he reached Fire Nation waters.

Zuko felt his breath catch in his throat, and he withdrew from his meditation. She had calculated all of this, Zuko knew in that instant. On that day at Ba Seng Se it had already been planned. He had fallen neatly into his little sister's trap.

Zuko swore, and pushed himself up from the table, knocking over one of the candles as he did so. Before the table could catch on fire, Zuko harnessed the energy of the fire, and made it disappear. His hands clenched into fists, and he struggled to regulate his body temperature.

"Zuko?" A small voice asked, and Zuko whirled around to see Katara sitting up, her blue eyes glassy with sleep and her hair everywhere. "Is something wrong?" she asked, pushing her hair behind her ears and drawing her knees close to her chest.

Zuko studied her for a second and then frowned. "Do you want to get back to your brother and the Avatar?"

Katara's eyes narrowed. "What do you think?" she muttered, glaring at him.

"I wasn't mocking you," Zuko replied evenly, and then leaned his hip against his meditation table. "I just needed to be sure."

Katara's glare didn't waver. "Wouldn't you? Apparently you did miss your family, since you teamed up with Azula," she spat, her eyes gone dark with anger again. Zuko didn't blame her.

"I miss my family," he replied softly, and Katara's eyes widened with understanding.

"Your uncle." It was a statement, not a question.

Zuko nodded briefly. "That's what I need to talk to you about."

Katara's gaze dropped down to her lap, and then she studied Zuko. He seemed sincere enough. And his genuine desire to re-unite with his uncle explained his behavior the night before. Toph had told her how Iroh had helped with her rescue. It seemed that he was a man with a heart. Maybe he had rubbed off on Zuko during their time together.

"You'll have to go against Azula to get him back," Katara replied after a minute, and Zuko walked over to the door and checked to be sure that the coast was clear.

"I know."

Katara stared into his eyes. "You'll never be able to go home," she reminded him, and Zuko sighed.

"The Fire Nation is no longer my home," he replied simply, and Katara didn't ask for him to clarify that statement.

The pair sat in silence for several minutes. "Your home is where your uncle is." Katara said after a while, and Zuko nearly jumped he was so surprised.

"What?"

"Am I right?" Katara probed, and Zuko shrugged.

"Yes."

Katara nodded, and then glanced back down at her hands. "I thought so." After a second, she glanced back up again. "Where do I fit into all of this?"

Startled at her intuition, Zuko's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Katara sighed, frustrated. She pushed a stray strand of brown hair behind her ear and stood up, suddenly feeling at a disadvantage while she was sitting down. "You wouldn't tell me all of this unless you had something planned for me to do."

Zuko studied the girl for a minute in silence. She looked ridiculous with his Uncle's shirt hanging down past her knees and her voluminous hair hanging everywhere. "You need a brush," he noted absently, and Katara's hand flew to her hair.

"That was rude," she muttered with a scowl as she began to attack the tangled mass with her fingers, wincing with distaste when she found burrs imbedded in the strands. Thanks to Azula, she was a mess.

Zuko watched her with apparent boredom before uncrossing his arms. "I don't have a plan yet," he admitted. Katara rolled her eyes as she continued brushing her hands through her hair.

"Figures," she muttered under her breath, and Zuko stiffened when he heard her. "One question. Why the change of heart? Last time I saw you, you were all too eager to attack your uncle."

Zuko looked away. "I didn't think as hard as I should have."

Katara fixed a severe eye on the boy. "Don't make the same mistake twice," she warned, and Zuko got the distinct and utterly unnerving feeling that his mother was scolding him again.

"I don't plan to."

Katara nodded, and then she planted her hands on her hips, her hair momentarily forgotten as determination shone in her eyes. "I'm helping you, and you're returning me to Aang and my brother." Zuko got the impression that she wasn't about to take no for an answer.

Zuko turned back to his meditation table and re-lit the candles. "I'm not going to take you back to them," he replied as he sat down at the bench again, and he could practically feel Katara's glare boring into his back.

"Why not?" she shouted, wishing there was some sort of water in the room so that she could bend it into a whip. Of all of the…

"They're coming to you," Zuko replied, cutting into her thoughts. All was silent for a minute as Zuko proceeded to meditate. "And I need for the Avatar to be on my side when he arrives. That's where you come in." He candles flickered as he breathed, and Katara felt slightly unnerved by the sight.

"You want me to convince Aang to fight with you against Azula."

"Yes," came Zuko's short reply. Katara was learning that the boy usually spoke his mind, but in as few words as humanly possible.

Katara nodded briefly, and began to twirl a strand of hair around her finger. "I'll agree on one condition."

Zuko's meditation was broken by her demand, and he whirled around to face her. "You are not in the position to be making demands," he reminded Katara, who gave him a half smile.

"You said yourself that they were coming for me. Trust me, you don't want to be around Aang when someone he loves has been hurt… unless you're on his side. If you don't agree to do what I say, I'll make sure Aang believes that you're the enemy." It was an empty threat, Katara knew. She was angry with Zuko, beyond angry, in fact. However, his kindness confused her, and she wouldn't be so quick as to condemn him to death.

Zuko, however, didn't know that. "You!" he spat. "I've been nothing short of decent to you, and…"

"If you'd listen to my request, I'm sure you'd find it reasonable," Katara insisted with a calm that she didn't feel. She was at a disadvantage, and if Zuko decided to lash out in anger… she didn't want to think about what could happen.

"Fine," the boy muttered, reigning in his temper at last, and feeling like he was letting his uncle down by letting it go in the first place.

Katara took a deep breath, and then plunged ahead. "Aang needs a fire bending teacher."

"You want me to teach him?" Zuko demanded incredulously.

"No. You two don't exactly have the best of relationships." Katara paused. "I want your uncle to teach him."

Zuko stared hard at her. "You'd have two fire benders traveling with you. Both of which have been hunting you for the past six months."

Katara smiled slightly. "I'm willing to take the risk."

"Will the Avatar?" Zuko asked pointedly.

Katara sighed. "He doesn't really have a choice, does he?" she replied softly, and Zuko had to admit that the girl had a point. With the war, there wouldn't be many fire bending masters who would be willing to take the Avatar on as a pupil. Iroh… he was the perfect candidate.

"Fine." Zuko agreed, and then returned to the meditation table. "I'm meditating," he informed the water tribe girl, who was grinning in triumph.

"Why?"

Zuko grit his teeth. "To figure out how I'm going to get Uncle out by the time the Avatar gets here." He closed his eyes and breathed, and was once again pulled from meditation by Katara's voice.

"How long do you think we have until they get here?"

"I don't know," Zuko replied in a carefully neutral tone as he attempted to re-establish the connection.

"Zuko?"

Zuko scowled, and struggled not to lash out. He had gone through a period where calm was his middle name, but this girl was quickly bringing out the temper that he had tried to abolish. "What?"

"Where are my clothes?"


	2. Iroh

Iroh brought the steaming cup of tea to his lips as he nodded gratefully at the guard. Apparently, the advantages of being the Dragon of the West carried all the way down to even the most dismal of the ship's prison cells. The guards had made sure that he had comfortable bedding and an endless supply of Ginseng tea. As Iroh took another sip, he noted ruefully that it certainly hadn't been his nephew that had made the drink.

The thought of Zuko made Iroh's heart twist painfully. The boy had come so far from the spoiled prince that he had once been. For the first time in three years, Iroh had caught sight of the child who had been so painfully betrayed by his father; the boy who had loved Ozai too much to fight back.

And what did the boy do? He turned back to his old ways. He had neglected to think his plan through to the end, as he had done at the North Pole when he nearly froze to death after the attempted capture of the Avatar, and then again when he had gone to take the Avatar's bison for ransom at Ba Seng Se.

After Iroh had given his nephew the lecture under Lake Laugoi, he had been certain that the boy would begin to weigh his options carefully, and for a while, he had. And then his niece came and interrupted all of the progress that they had made. And Zuko betrayed him, as both of their fathers had betrayed him.

Zuko seemed to think that he was the only one to have a father that didn't care about him. What the boy didn't realize was that Iroh's father, Azula, had treated him the same way that Ozai had treated Zuko. And that Ozai treated Iroh the same way that his niece, Azula (named in her grandfather's honor), treated Zuko.

Zuko assumed that he didn't understand; that Pai Cho and tea were all that he knew about. But he too knew what it felt like to be betrayed by a father, to have a sibling's ambitions pull him from his rightful place on the throne. If Iroh had ascended, the war would have been over by now. Zuko never seemed to realize just how much his uncle looked back on the days when his future had shone bright before him with regret.

Iroh took another sip of tea. _Being in prison makes a man think far too much… What I wouldn't give for a Pai Cho board just now._ He considered requesting the guards to bring one down to him, but instantly shot down the idea. They were already disobeying his niece's orders by bringing him the tea and mound of cushy pillows. It wouldn't bode well for them should Azula happen to wonder by as he was playing a game. _No to the Pai Cho board then._

"Let go of me! I can walk by myself, thank you!" a young voice insisted, instantly catching Iroh's attention. The only young girl he could think of Azula throwing into the prisons would be Ty Lee, but this wasn't the young acrobat's voice.

"That's not what Prince Zuko says. He says that you're a dangerous water bender, and you need to be watched closely while he dines with his sister."

Ah, so that is who it was. Katara, Iroh believed. The young Avatar had certainly talked about the girl enough while the pair had been together in the underground remains of Ba Seng Se.

"I don't care what Zuko said!" the girl retorted hotly, and Iroh felt a smile forming at the corners of his mouth. Then he frowned. _What was the Avatar's friend doing in the prisons of a fire nation vessel? _

"Ryu," Iroh called out, and the guard who was struggling to keep a grip on the young water bender glanced upwards.

"Yes General?" he responded automatically, and Iroh smiled slightly with satisfaction.

"Escort the girl over here, if you will. I would rather like to get acquainted with a fellow prisoner," he explained in his gruff albeit kind voice, and Ryu nodded.

"Yes, General."

Katara scowled at the man. "I thought I told you that I could walk on my own."

"I will not argue with a little girl," Ryu replied blandly, gripping Katara's wrist tighter as he practically dragged her over to Iroh's cell. Katara glared at the man, and rubbed her wrists when he finally released her as he unlocked the door. They were still sore from the cuffs; the guard didn't have to be so rough. After a brief second, she was unexpectedly pushed into the cell, and the doors slammed closed behind her.

"Why you…" the girl began, but stopped speaking abruptly when she noticed that the General Iroh was staring at her in amusement. Katara's cheeks warmed, and she bowed to hide her blush. "Good afternoon, General," she greeted the aging man politely, attempting to salvage some of her dignity.

"Iroh, please." Iroh replied, his smile widening slightly. "Take a seat," he invited her, gesturing to one of the many cushions that littered the floor. Katara's eyes widened, but she did as she was told. "Tea?"

Katara nodded dumbly, and Iroh poured her a cup. _He acts like we're somewhere else… who offers someone tea and asks them to take a seat in a prison?_ Katara accepted the cup from Iroh's hands, frowning as she looked into the steaming liquid.

"I must confess, I'm wondering what a friend of the Avatar is doing on my niece's ship," Iroh began the conversation as he took a seat on the cushion opposite of Katara.

"I'm property of your nephew," Katara replied dryly, and Iroh sputtered. Quickly, the man wiped his chin with a napkin, too distraught over what the girl had said to fret over the waste of the tea.

"Zuko?" Iroh demanded, his voice a little harsher than he had intended.

Katara nodded, and took another sip of her tea. "Your niece captured me and gave me to him," she added, her eyes blazing over the rim of her cup as she remembered the injustice of it all. She saw the look on Iroh's face, and sighed. "Don't worry. Your nephew has been quite polite. You must have taught him some manners in your time together."

Despite himself, Iroh laughed at the girl's straight forwardness. "Well, it is good he learned something from me," Iroh agreed with a slight smile. "Although he had yet to appreciate the finer points of tea."

Katara glanced towards the cell door, and then she leaned closer to Iroh. "That isn't all that he learned from you. He has _learned_ from his mistakes, and he has developed _patience_ as well."

Iroh nodded, comprehending. Zuko had sent the girl to tell him that he was on his side and to bide his time. Perhaps his nephew was far more mature than he had given him credit for. "Patience is a virtue." He would wait, and would re-join his nephew when the time came.

Katara leaned back with a slight smile. She had thought that it would be difficult to tell Iroh what Zuko wanted his uncle to know with so many guards around. But, the message had been delivered and understood. Toph was right. The Dragon of the West truly was a very interesting man.

"How is the Avatar _coming _along?" Iroh asked after a moment, and Katara's smile widened. He wanted to know how long it would be until Aang came for her. Apparently, the General was very intuitive.

"His wounds are healing _quickly_."

Iroh nodded, and the pair drank their tea in silence for the duration of their time together. When Ryu returned for Katara, she rose smoothly from her pillow. "Thank you for the tea." She turned to leave with the guard, but then quickly swung back around. "General…the same mistake won't be made twice," she said in parting, and Iroh nodded, the corner of his lips curving up slightly.

"I hope that I will be seeing more of you."

"And I you." Katara knew that she would be back.

On their way back to Zuko's private suite, Katara took stock of her surroundings and committed them to memory. Zuko had yet to come up with a finalized plan. He had told her that he wanted to think things through before he acted. Conveying the message to Iroh had been the first step. Katara didn't know the rest of them, however, she wanted to be ready to bolt at any moment.

Ryu was silent on their walk as well, and he allowed Katara to walk at her own pace this time. "General Iroh must command great respect," Katara observed, and the guard stiffened.

"Perhaps at one time in his life," the man sneered, and Katara's eyes widened before she chewed on her lip. The men were loyal to Iroh while they were down in the prisons, but fear for their lives caused them to scorn him on the upper decks.

"I see," Katara replied simply. No more was spoken between the two. When they reached Zuko's door, Ryu rapped twice.

"Enter," Zuko commanded irritably, and Ryu gave Katara a shove inside. She scowled at the man, and then turned to face Zuko as the door slammed shut behind her. "Well?" he demanded once she was inside, and Katara sighed.

"He understands what you're asking," she replied simply before sinking down onto her nest of blankets. She had risen only a few hours before, but she was bored, and she had nothing better to do since no one would let her near any water.

"Good." Zuko crossed back over to his meditation table and sat back down again. He had a lot to work out, and very little time to do it in.

Katara sighed and sat in silence, her mind beginning to wander back to her home in the South Pole. Master Pakku had told her that he would be traveling there to re-build with many other water-benders. Katara wondered in Gran-Gran had anything to do with his decision to visit her home. After all, he had admitted that the woman had been the love of his life.

For the millionth time since she'd met the water bending master,, Katara wondered if he could have been her paternal grandfather. She had never met the man, and Gran-Gran had rarely spoken of him. Come to think of it, Katara couldn't remember a single time when her grandmother had mentioned her grandfather at all. And the fact that she had passed Pakku's betrothal necklace down to her daughter and granddaughter said a lot, didn't it?

Maybe that was why Master Pakku had finally agreed to teach her how to water bend, even though it went against all of the customs and traditions of the men in the North Pole. Maybe he realized the possibility as well…and maybe, just maybe, he had seen something of himself in her.

Katara sighed, pushing the thoughts away. As intriguing as it was speculating on her grandmother's past, Katara didn't feel like thinking of home just now. Not while she was in the room of a fire bender, who had a map of the world proudly displayed upon the wall. The South Pole was colored in red, showing that it had been conquered by fire nation troops.

The attacks had first begun in her grandmother's childhood, and then her mother's. Katara remembered the fire nation raid that she had endured well. It was the raid in which she lost her mother. Katara closed her eyes and steeled herself against the pain that came with the thoughts of the woman that she had loved so much.

She had been young then, only ten. The death that had occurred nearly five years ago hurt as much now as the day that it had happened. Katara didn't think she'd ever be able to forget seeing her mother, bound with the water benders and about twenty or so other villagers. She knew without a doubt that her mother's cries of pain as she was being burned alive would sound in her ears for forever. Thank the spirits that Sokka hadn't seen it. She wished that she hadn't.

Katara felt her eyes water, and she pushed all thoughts of her mother determinedly from her mind. Instead, she focused her attention on Zuko. He had said that the fire nation took his mother when they were in the ruins under Ba Seng Se. Katara wondered as to what that could mean, but he hadn't clarified, and she wouldn't ask him to.

"Does Uncle have the support of the soldiers?" Zuko asked, and Katara jumped slightly as she hadn't been expecting for him to speak to her for several hours. Upon close scrutiny of the sky, the girl realized that quite a bit of time had passed since she sat down.

"Some of them. But they're afraid to let anyone know."

"Cowards," Zuko muttered, and Katara glared at him.

"No. Not cowards. You forget that half of these men have families waiting for them back at the fire nation. They don't have to worry about their well being alone, but they also have to worry about those of their wives and children."

Zuko glared at her for her insolent tone, but then turned to the window instead of rebuking her. "You sound like Uncle," he asserted.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Your uncle is a brilliant man."

Zuko said nothing, but and then turned to Katara. "I'll call for some dinner and ask for a servant to draw a bath," he said after a moment, and Katara frowned.

"What for?"

Zuko raised a brow. "You're not hungry?" Katara's stomach rumbled before she could say anything and she scowled. Zuko smirked, and then looked the girl over critically. Katara squirmed and flushed beneath his gaze, "And as for the bath…you need one."

Katara scowled. "You ride a ten ton flying bison and then get dragged through the mud, and we'll see how good you smell," she snapped, and Zuko shrugged.

"Once you take a bath, you won't smell anymore," he reasoned calmly, and Katara crossed her arms over her chest, but said nothing further. She got the distinct feeling that arguing wouldn't get her any farther anyway.

Zuko went to the door and barked out the orders before coming back in and sitting across from Katara on her makeshift bed. "Is there any way that we can alert the Avatar to come to this room when he flies in? A sign that the two of you share?"

Katara frowned slightly. "I don't…" she began, but then stopped herself and reached inside a pocket and pulled out a necklace. Zuko noted with some amusement that it was made of fishing wire and dried flowers. "Aang made this for me, so he should remember it. And he stole Sokka's fishing line to make it, so Sokka should definitely remember it." A slight smile came to her lips when she thought about that day. Sokka had made kissy faces to a fish, only to be slapped in the face by its tail. Suki had no idea what she was in for.

"How will they see a necklace all the way from the sky?" Zuko pointed out, and Katara frowned.

"Aang and Sokka might not, but Appa will. If that fails… all they have to do is drop Toph down and she'll probably be able to tell where I am."

"Toph?"

"Aang's earth bending master."

"How could she feel where you are?" Zuko demanded incredulously, and Katara sighed. Over the course of the trip, she had to explain this many times, and it was getting old. She only wondered how Toph felt about it.

"She's blind, so she relies on the vibrations in the ground to see what is happening. I've never seen anyone with such accurate aim before."

A knock sounded at the door, and a servant entered with a platter of food. He set it down on a low table by the entrance, and then crossed over to the strange, bowl shaped piece of furniture that Katara had wondered about earlier. She watched with surprise as water came pouring out of one of the sides, already steaming hot. _Stupid! You should have known that was a bathtub. Honestly, you're as bad as Sokka sometimes_, Katara chastised herself.

"Will there be anything else, Prince Zuko?" the servant asked. Zuko gave a quick shake of his head and the man made his exit.

Zuko stood, and crossed over to a bookshelf, randomly pulling one out before settling himself down on his own bed. When he glanced over to Katara, he was annoyed to see her sitting in one place. "What are you doing? Eat before the food gets cold."

Katara stood, and then looked over the food. "There's only one plate."

"I'm not hungry," he replied in a bored tone and turned his attention to his book. He had read it before, but that came as no surprise. In the time that he had been banished, he had consumed nearly every book of fire nation battle tactics. He felt relived when he heard the sound of chopsticks on china, and he then turned his full attention to the book.

Katara ate slowly, trying to decide whether or not she liked fire nation cuisine. She had become used to bland spices and lukewarm meals, so having something so hot and heavily spiced came as a shock to her. After several more bites, Katara decided that it was very good. Once that decision was made, she began to eat faster, feeling hunger pangs for perhaps the first time since her capture.

When she was finished, she glanced up to see that Zuko was still reading, and then to the bathtub where steam still rose. And then the realization hit. There was nothing to separate them while she was bathing. "Zuko… I don't think I want to take a bath."

Zuko rolled his eyes and flipped a page. "You don't have much of a choice."

Katara fidgeted. "But, the tub is in the same room as… and I…"

Zuko looked up from his book and over to the girl to see that her cheeks were flushed. "I won't look," he promised, and then turned back to his book.

"But…"

Zuko let out an exasperated sigh, and then rolled over so that he was on his side with his back facing the tub. "There. Now I can't see you. Will you please just get into the water? I'm reading."

Katara crossed her arms over her chest, uncomfortable. She usually didn't even bathe when Sokka was in the room, and he was her brother. However, she was dirty… and he had promised that he wouldn't peek. Katara crossed over to the bathtub, and removed her clothes as quickly as she could before sinking into the warm water. It was a luxury that she wasn't often given, and she closed her eyes with delight, forgetting about Zuko for a moment.

"The soap is to your right." Zuko's voice made her eyes snap open, and her head whipped around to see if he had glanced in her direction. He hadn't moved, and he was still engrossed in his book.

Katara looked where he had told her, and was happy to find a small cake of soap, which was full of scented herbs. Katara sniffed at it, and then smiled appreciatively. The soap used in the South Pole was made of fat, ash, and water. Because of the terrain, little or no scent could be added to it. Katara rubbed the cake between her hands, and her smile grew as little soap bubbles flew everywhere as she worked up a thick lather.

She ducked her head under the water, and then scrubbed her hair with the soap. She repeated the process several times, and then began to work on her body. When she was finished, she sat still in the tub, feeling the water move around her. She had been kept far away from the substance over the passed five days, and she had missed it as only a water bender could.

As she soaked, she gently lifted strands of water, forming them into all sorts of shapes through her bending. A series of mini water whips lifted into the air, and then they chased each other back into the tub. "Are you finished yet?" Zuko demanded, and Katara sighed, the water that she was playing with dropping back down into the tub at once.

She stood, and water bended the liquid out of her hair and off of her body before stepping back into her clothes. "I'm done," she replied as she tied her obi about her waist.

"Do you need a towel?"

"No, I'm dressed," she girl replied as she ran her fingers through her dried hair. Zuko scowled and turned around, expecting to see her sopping wet. Instead, he discovered that she was thoroughly dry.

"How did you do that?"

Katara smiled slightly, and then winced when she came upon a tangle. "Water bender, remember?"

Zuko rose from his bed, and crossed to his bookshelf where he replaced the book that he had been reading. "Catch," he called as he tossed Katara a brush. The girl didn't miss a beat, and was soon running the comb through her hair.

"I need you to go and speak with Uncle again." Zuko informed the water bender in a bored tone as he watched her plait her hair back into its customary braid.

"What do I need to tell him?" she asked, reaching into her obi and pulling out a leather thong, which she tied the braid with. Then, she turned to Zuko and gave him her full attention.

"To try and get as many guards as possible to our side, if only to allow him to come to my room unharmed. Also, tell him that he will become the Avatar's fire bending master."

* * *

"Ah, Katara. It is very good to see you again," Iroh greeted with a smile as he rose to greet the water bender. "I trust my nephew has been treating you well?"

"Very." Katara replied. The same exchange had occurred between the pair every day for the past three days. Zuko had been sending her to his uncle with little snips of information, leaving it to Katara to formulate them into code. At times, it was difficult to come up with something that was both relevant to their conversation and demonstrated Zuko's plan. However, Iroh always seemed to be able to decipher the hidden meaning in her words.

"How is my nephew?" Iroh asked as he poured Katara her customary cup of tea, and then poured himself a second one.

"The closer we get to the Fire Nation, the more anxious he becomes."

Ah. The boy always has been impatient. "That is understandable," Iroh replied smoothly as he took another sip of his tea. "We are close, aren't we?

"Very close," Katara agreed. "Too close for comfort," she mumbled under her breath, and Iroh smiled slightly. So she is anxious about the fight as well. Although I believe in her case it is more of because of fear than impatience.

"You will be fine, my dear," Iroh assured her, and Katara smiled at him gratefully. The last time that she had fought Azula… she didn't want to think about that.

"Have you gotten to know the guards well in your time down here?" she asked, steering them back to a conversation full of double meanings. Sokka wouldn't understand anything that was said down here. Suddenly, Katara was infinitely grateful that it was she who had been taken and not her brother. Who knew what kind of disaster could have happened then?

Iroh nodded. "Some more than others. Ryu has become a good friend of mine though. Did you know that his name means Dragon? And I am called dragon of the West! What a strange coincidence, Hm?" Iroh replied with a chuckle, and a snort sounded from somewhere down the hall. Katara guessed that she wasn't the only one sharing the old general's tea.

"You must be remembered fondly."

Iroh grinned. "Not in the histories of the fire nation," he replied dryly, and Katara giggled. This time, the guard down the way couldn't suppress a chuckle.

_The guards like him. They will let him escape. But how do I get him out of here? Zuko let me have free reign on that one…_ Katara thought for a moment. _Got it!_

"Iroh, did you know that if you freeze iron, you could crack it?" Katara asked, and Iroh's brows shot up.

"Really? That is very… intriguing."

Katara nodded. "I thought so too." The man and girl shared a glance, and then Iroh nodded curtly. _Good, he understands_.

"Now, Katara, tell me how you are doing," Iroh picked up the conversation after several moments of silence, and Katara shrugged. "No, I'm serious. I want to know."

Katara bit her lip. "I miss my family," she admitted softly.

Iroh nodded slightly, and then poured himself another cup of tea. "More?" he asked, and Katara declined. "Your home, or the Avatar and your brother?"

Katara smiled. "Aang's my brother too, in here," Katara replied, pointing to her heart. "So long as I've had them, I haven't gotten homesick."

"And now?" Iroh probed, and Katara turned away.

"Now I've been thinking of home too much," she admitted, glancing down at her empty cup. "You know what? I actually think that I would like some more tea, please."

Iroh took the cup from her and filled it to the brim before handing it back. "What have you been remembering? Your childhood?" The old general took another sip of his tea, and Katara sighed.

"I never had much of a childhood. I was ten when my mother died, so… I had to grow up early."

"How did she die?"

Katara's eyes watered. "A fire nation raid. She was burned to death."

Iroh was silent as he watched the agony of that memory flit across the young girl's face, and mentally rebuked himself. _You really are too curious, Iroh. You should have just let matters be_.

"We only have about twenty people left now, half of which are young children. They're all under the age of five. There would have been more, but the mothers drowned the ones that were half fire nation," the girl continued, her voice low.

Iroh sighed. "War is a very brutal thing, my dear. Somehow, it seems that it's always the innocent ones that feel the consequences."

"I know."

Iroh could plainly see that the poor child was caught up in the past, so he attempted to bring her back to the present. "Tell me about this brother of yours. My nephew once told me that he met a rock with more intelligence, but I don't think that could be true."

Katara laughed slightly. "No, really, it could. All the boy thinks about is girls, sarcasm, and meat. He tried to roast Momo, if you can believe that. And then there was this little cub that he was trying to hunt, but he fell out of a tree and into this huge crack. He named the thing Foofoocuddlypoops. I mean, does that sound like something that someone with any intelligence would do?"

Iroh grinned, pleased with himself for drawing the girl out of her dark mood. "And he fancies himself to be a ladies man?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Yes! And his voice still cracks, I mean… What I don't understand is how he's had any success. If I met a guy like that…"

Iroh's smile broadened. "Ah, so he is a ladies man after all."

"Well, there was this princess, Yue… but…" the girl trailed off, and Iroh closed his wyes, remembering.

"She became the moon spirit," he finished for the girl. "How did your brother take that?"

Katara sighed. "He didn't speak for a while, not even to complain that he was hungry, and that is pretty unusual for Sokka. Now, he's back to his regular old self, but… When we were in Ba Seng Se, I would wake up a lot during the night, and I'd see him out in the garden looking up at the moon. I think he does that every night when we travel."

Iroh nodded in understanding. "There was more than one girl?" He prompted, and Katara smiled slightly, shaken out of the memory.

"Yeah, Suki. She's the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. I think Sokka's the only guy I know whose okay with being with a girl who can kick his butt."

Iroh chuckled. "Is she traveling with you now, or is she on Kyoshi waiting for your brother?"

Katara's face fell, and Iroh realized that he had said something wrong. "It is always the innocent ones that feel the consequences of war," the girl murmured, and Iroh winced. "We have no idea where she is, but Azula's friends had Kyoshi warrior costumes. There's only one way that they could have gotten them."

"I'm sure she's fine…" Iroh attempted to assure the girl, and Katara fixed a resolute stare on him.

"No. She's not. I tell Sokka that everything's okay and we'll probably run into her soon, but… I'm not stupid. I know the odds aren't good. I'd never tell Sokka that though, or Aang for that matter. I don't think either of them could handle it."

Iroh glanced over the girl with newfound respect. "You sound like an adult," he noted, and Katara shrugged.

"Like I said, I grew up early."

Iroh was silent, and then beamed at the girl. "More tea?" he offered, and his smile was enough to coax a little laugh out of the girl.

"No thank you, Iroh. I think I've had more than enough."

Ryu approached the cell door. "Prince Zuko is through with his meal, Katara. I need to bring you back to him," he interfered apologetically, glancing between the girl and the general.

"Well, we mustn't keep my nephew waiting," Iroh announced, rising as Katara did. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, my dear."

Taking the general by surprise, Katara wrapped her arms around his ample waist and squeezed gently. "Thank you for speaking with me, Iroh. And for the tea." Iroh smiled down at the girl, and then gave her a quick squeeze back.

"It was my pleasure," he replied with a warm smile, and then released her. "Tell my nephew hello for me, if you would."

Katara nodded. "Of course," she replied with a slight smile, and then turned to Ryu. "Alright. I'm ready to go back now."

Ryu and Katara started on their way back to Zuko's rooms, walking side by side this time. "Does your name really mean dragon?" she asked as they walked, and Ryu chuckled.

"I must have been tea logged when I told the general that," he admitted, and Katara laughed.

"He does love his tea, doesn't he? You know, I don't think I've ever seen him without a cup in his hands. I wonder if there's any kind he hasn't tried yet."

Ryu shrugged. "He prefers Ginseng and Jasmine to any other kind, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's tried them all."

"I wouldn't either," Katara replied with a grin.

The pair walked in companionable silence, and then Ryu stopped and glanced around the ship. Once he was sure that no one was around, he leaned in close to the water bender. "You're a good girl, Katara. A bit too naive if you ask me, but good. Watch out for the general's nephew," he warned, and then turned away.

"I'm careful," Katara replied in an equally low tone.

When the pair finally reached the door to Zuko's chambers, Ryu rapped twice. "The prisoner has returned," he announced, and Zuko barked out an order for the man to open the door. "Remember what I said," Ryu whispered to Katara, and she nodded slightly. "Prince Zuko," he greeted with a bow, and then turned on his heel.

"Bye Ryu! See you tomorrow!" the girl called after him with a little wave. The soldier didn't turn back around.

When Katara turned to enter the room, she saw Zuko glowering at her. "What was that all about?" he demanded, and Katara scowled at him.

"I'm down in that prison so often that I've become acquainted with the guards. Is that a problem?"

"Yes, actually. Guards aren't supposed to associate with prisoners."

"Well excuse me, Mr. High and Mighty! I had a job to do, and I was doing it. Tough luck if you don't like it!"

"You dare talk to me that way!"

Katara poked him in his chest, catching him off guard so that he stumbled backwards. "I'll talk to you any way I want. Believe it or not, we're equals. I'm not going to pander to you, you spoiled, obnoxious, disloyal, banished prince!" she exclaimed, her voice rising with every word.

Zuko's face changed from anger to shock, and then his expression went blank. "I see," he said simply, and turned away from her.

Once Katara got her anger under control, she realized that she had been out of turn. But she wasn't about to apologize to him. Even though she had said it in the wrong manner, the message that she had been trying to get across was absolutely true.

Zuko was the first to break the silence. "How long has it been since you arrived here?"

"Four days," Katara replied, refusing to look at him. Should she have glanced his way, she would have noticed that his face was turned in the other direction as well.

"And how long since you were captured by Azula?" he continued in the same bored tone.

"Seven."

"We estimated that it would take the Avatar about a week to get to you. He should be here any day now."

"Yes."

"Is my uncle prepared?"

Katara glared at him. "No Zuko, he isn't. All I've done is sit in that cell and drink tea."

Zuko sighed. "I'll take that as a yes, then."

Once again, silence descended over the pair. "How is he?" Zuko asked after a minute, the bored tone leaving his voice for a moment to make way for genuine concern.

Despite herself, Katara softened at the look on his face. "He's well. He drinks tea and cracks jokes… He's a great man."

"Yes, he is." Zuko said softly in monotone. Then, he turned back to his bed." I have dinner waiting for you on that table over there. You might want to eat it before it gets cold."

_There! He did it again! Every time he does something to make me so incredibly angry, he always balances it out by doing something nice too. This is starting to wear on my nerves._ "I'll do that," Katara agreed and then carried the meal from the table to her nest of blankets on the floor.

Zuko undressed and slipped into bed as Katara ate in silence, and then dimmed the lights slightly. As soon as Katara was finished with her dinner, she returned the plate to the table, removed her outer robe, and then curled up beneath the covers. Then, as always, the lights went out once she was situated.

"Zuko?" Katara murmured from the floor, and the fire nation prince kept his back to her.

"Yes?" he replied; sleep tinting the bored tone with which he spoke.

"You don't have to worry about Iroh. Your uncle loves you very much."

Zuko waited for the girl to say something more, but only the sounds of her even breathing reached him. "I love him too," he murmured lowly. _Thank you, Katara._


	3. Rescued

"Appa, can't you fly any faster?" Sokka demanded, pulling on a tuft of the flying bison's fur. The bison growled in protest, and Aang glanced back at the water tribe boy.

"Don't do that!" Aang demanded, and then gently patted Appa's head. "It's okay, boy. Sokka didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Well excuse me! In case you haven't realized, my sister is with the fire nation. Who knows what they're doing to her!" Sokka yelled. Momo jumped from his seat on Appa's saddle to curl up on Aang's head to be as far away from Sokka as he could be.

"I'm worried about her too you know!" Aang exclaimed heatedly, his youthful face scrunched in a combination of worry, exhaustion, and pain. The wounds inflicted on him during his battle with Azula still hadn't fully healed, but his determination to retrieve Katara outweighed any discomfort that he had.

"Hey! You guys realize we're on the same side don't you? So shut up!" Toph shouted, her blind eyes turned in the boys' general direction. "I want Sugar Queen back just as much as you two do. She's the only one that can keep a lid on Snoozles."

"You know what Toph, you're really starting to get on my nerves," Sokka muttered, and drew his boomerang. Toph snorted, and then picked up a bag of dried meat.

"This smells really good. I bet I could eat the whole thing," the girl noted dryly as she reached in for a piece of jerky.

"No! No, I'll shut up. Just don't eat it, okay? That's the last of the meat!" Sokka placed his hands up in surrender, although doing so was pointless.

"No more fighting with Twinkle Toes?" The girl waved the bag in front of Sokka's face, and the boy's eyes followed it as it swayed.

"No more fighting."

"Good boy," Toph replied with a slight smile as she tossed the bag to Sokka. Sokka caught it with one arm, and then clutched the bag to his chest protectively.

"How much longer do you think it will take us?" Sokka asked Aang once he made sure that everything was intact. He watched the bald monk's shoulders droop, and felt a sinking in his stomach. "Aang?"

"Not long. I can smell the smoke," Aang replied softly, and Sokka grinned.

"That's great!" The boy grinned and brandished his boomerang again. "No one hurts my baby sister! Fire nation soldiers are going down."

"You don't sound too sure of yourself, Twinkle Toes," Toph remarked as she stretched out, ignoring Sokka's comments.

Aang straightened suddenly. "I'll be fine," the boy replied, and Sokka turned to the air bender.

"What do you mean you'll be fine? You'd better be great. Because if one hair on Katara's hair is even singed in the slightest while you're fighting, I'll hold you personally responsible!" Sokka shouted, waving his boomerang in the air.

"Wow, Snoozles. I'm sure he's terrified."

Sokka scowled. "Toph, could you please just mind your own business for once in your life?" the boy demanded, glaring at the girl.

"Nope."

Aang interrupted the pair. "Don't worry, Sokka. I won't let her get hurt," the young boy said with conviction. Although he knew Toph and Sokka had an idea of how he felt for Katara, he doubted that either of them knew how deep his love for the girl ran. He would die to shield her from any pain.

"You'd better not." Sokka dipped his hand into the bag of dried meat and pulled out a long sliver, ripping a large piece from the chunk with his teeth.

"That's our dinner." Toph remarked, and Sokka made a point of chewing louder.

"This is really tasty. What a shame that I get to eat it all." He then licked his lips, and took another large chunk into his mouth. "Mmmmm!"

"Snoozles, you're a moron."

Sokka scowled at the girl, and then yelled in outrage when Momo snatched the bag from his hands. "Give me that, you stupid lemur!" the boy shouted. Disturbed at the noise that the water tribe boy was making, Momo launched into the air holding the bag secure with his back paws.

"Aang, make that thing give my food back!"

"If you're so worried about Katara, why are you carrying on about your stupid food?" Aang muttered, but he raised his arm. The lemur dropped down onto the perch offered to him, and dug through the bag to withdraw a strip of meat.

Sokka reached forward and snatched the bag from the lemur's little hands, and then rolled his eyes at the Avatar. "I have a lot of things on my mind right now, kid. If I keep my stomach happy, it'll let me think about the other things that are important."

"Let me get this straight, Snoozles. You're saying that you have to eat to worry about Sugar Queen?" Toph drawled.

"Yes!" Sokka exclaimed before thinking, and then he frowned. "Wait, no! I didn't mean that. What I meant was…" Sokka suddenly broke into a coughing fit, joined by Toph and Aang.

"Way to go, Twinkle Toes. Get us caught directly in the middle of all the smoke," Toph muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring in Aang's general direction after Appa flew to a clearer area.

"It's dark," Aang muttered half heartedly in his defense, and Appa growled almost sympathetically.

Sokka squinted in the darkness. "That's a fire nation ship!" he exclaimed once they got close enough to see the red and black insignia on the side.

"No! Really?"

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Toph."

Aang lowered Appa suddenly so that the bison's legs were nearly trailing in the water. "Be quiet. We don't want to alert the ship."

"What are you talking about? I want to fight!" Sokka demanded, and Toph reached forward to clamp a hand over his mouth.

"An entire ship of fire nation soldiers?" the girl asked, and Sokka sighed sharply as he disengaged himself from Toph's grip.

"We're with the Avatar, he can take 'em," Sokka insisted stubbornly. Toph sighed, and Aang looked away, scrutinizing the ship for any particular details. Most of the lights were out, but in one room, a candle was burning in the window.

"Do you see that?" Aang asked, pointing towards the light.

"Yeah!" Toph exclaimed, and both of the boys fixed a glare on her. "Fine, you're right. Not the time." Toph muttered, and then Sokka turned to Aang.

"It's worth a shot," he murmured lowly.

Aang gently jerked on the reigns, and Appa lifted upwards a few feet as they approached the window. "Sokka, look inside," the boy instructed the water tribe warrior, and Sokka nodded slightly. The room was dark, and he had to squint to make out anything.

"What do you see?" Aang asked, and Sokka squinted harder.

"There's a girl lying on the ground, but I don't know who it is. It could be Mai or Ty Lee," Sokka replied, and Aang sighed. Then, the boy's attention was caught by something different. A necklace sat directly beside the candle, and upon inspection, Aang immediately recognized it.

"Sokka! That's Katara in there!" Aang exclaimed a little too loudly, and the lights inside the room suddenly turned on. Sokka ducked so that he wouldn't be seen, and chewed on his lower lip as footsteps approached the window.

"Who's there?" A harsh male voice demanded, and then a second pair of footsteps, lighter this time, walked towards the window.

"Are they here?" The voice that came was so familiar and welcome, that Sokka couldn't help letting loose a whoop of joy. He popped up from his hiding place, and wrapped his arms around his sister.

"Katara!" he exclaimed, crushing the girl and nearly pulling her out the window. Katara squeezed her brother in return and buried her face in his shoulder. "Are you okay?" Sokka demanded as he drew away from her, cupping her face with his hands. "Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine," Katara whispered, and then glanced to the other figure that was still cloaked in shadow. "Come inside."

"Katara, are you crazy? We have to get you out of here. Just climb onto Appa and…"

"No, Sokka," Katara replied harshly, and then she gentled her tone. "There's someone I have to get out of here, and Appa is pretty conspicuous. Someone will see him unless he's flown away."

"I'm not going to leave you," Aang cut in, standing quickly but wincing when the healing skin on his back pulled. Katara noticed, and she was suddenly overcome with concern.

"Oh, Aang, you shouldn't have come until you were fully healed. If something happened to you, I'd never forgive myself!"

Aang colored. "I'm fine, Katara, really. Toph, could you fly Appa far enough away so that he won't be seen?"

Toph groaned. "Blind, remember?"

Aang gave the girl a crooked smile. "Oh, right. Just stay with him. He'll carry you away."

"Look here, Twinkle Toes…"

"Please, Toph. Pretty please?"

Toph growled in the back of her throat. "Fine," she muttered, and Aang handed the girl the reins as she clambered up to the saddle.

"Come on, get in here quickly," Katara whispered, grabbing Sokka's arm. The two boys clambered in through the window, and no sooner did Aang's feet touch the ground than Appa flew off with Toph.

"So what, Katara? Did you meet a guy _again_? I mean, first there was the deal with Haru and the earth benders, and then there was Jet… Every time you help these guys you meet you wind up in so much trouble. And who has to bust you out? Me! And…"

"Sokka!" Aang and Katara cut in at the same time.

Sokka sighed. "Please tell me that isn't what's going on," he begged, and Katara bit her lip. She could practically feel Zuko's amusement.

"Not exactly."

"Then what, exactly?"

"Before you say anything else, Aang needs to learn how to fire bend, so…" Katara rushed before Sokka could immediately cut her off.

"You are not telling me that you're rescuing a fire bender." Katara said nothing, but fidgeted under her older brother's gaze. "Katara," he moaned.

"Great! I get a new teacher!" Aang exclaimed as he jumped and did a little twirl in the air.

"Aang, don't exert yourself!" Katara cried in dismay, rushing over the boy to check him over.

"Katara, we should move now," Zuko said softly, and Katara nodded.

"Right," she agreed. "Sokka, Aang, I'm going to head down to the prisons. I should be back in just a few minutes if all goes well. My new… friend will be coming with me."

"Katara, do you honesty think that I…" Sokka started, but then stopped. "Wait, who is that guy?" he demanded. Katara winced.

"It'll take too much time to explain right now. We're going to rescue Aang's new master, and then we'll be right back. Hopefully the guards won't detain us for very long." Zuko slunk further into the shadows to make certain that Sokka couldn't see him, and then turned to Katara.

"Hurry," he urged, and made his may to the door.

"Katara!" Sokka exclaimed, and his sister gave him a quick peck on the cheek, ignoring his protests.

"Don't worry, Warrior Boy. Stay here." Katara then turned to Aang. "Watch him for me, okay?"

"Sure, Katara." Aang replied, and then tossed Katara something. "We found this before we came after you."

Katara caught it easily, and then glanced at the object. It was her water bending pouch, the one that Azula had ripped from her belt and tossed away once she had been subdued. A quick shake of the pouch let Katara know that it was still full of water. "Thanks."

Katara and Zuko then hurried from the room. When Katara went to run down the halls, Zuko stopped her by grabbing onto the back of her shirt… his uncle's shirt, he noted wryly. "Don't rush. Walk behind me with your hands in front of you and your eyes down," he hissed, and Katara quickly complied.

After a while, it became obvious to Katara that Zuko had absolutely no idea where he was going. Instead of allowing him to wander around in circles, Katara stepped directly beside him and corrected his path. Had he continued the way he was going, they would have wound up in the crew's quarters.

When they arrived at the prison cells, Ryu jumped up from his post. "Prince Zuko!" the man exclaimed with a low bow, and Zuko nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

"Katara," the boy said softly, and the young water bender nodded before rushing over to Iroh's cell. She uncorked the bottle that was now strapped to her hip, and removed some of the water. Through bending, she surrounded a large portion of the bars with it, and then blew to freeze the substance.

"Iroh, quickly! We have to leave," Katara whispered, and Iroh slowly stood up from his cot.

"Well it's about time," he mumbled with a smile as he rubbed his eyes. "I've slept in my clothes for three days now waiting for you to wake me up in the middle of the night." He then glanced over Katara and grinned. "I see that you weren't prepared."

Katara glanced down, and then flushed when she saw what she was wearing. She hadn't remembered to change back into her clothing when she woke. "So that's where that shirt went to," Iroh mumbled. "My nephew must have stolen it."

"What's the meaning of this?" Ryu demanded, and Katara met his cold stare with a sympathetic gaze.

"I'm sorry about this, Ryu," she apologized, and then slammed the back of his head with a water whip. Ryu stumbled, and then fell to the ground, unconscious. "Let's go," she whispered, and took off down up the stairs, around the corridor, and down a maze of halls to Zuko's rooms.

The two men followed close on her heels, and the trio arrives back at the Prince's suite breathing hard. "Katara!" Sokka exclaimed. "I got worried. I was just about to… What are _they_ doing here?" he demanded, pointing at Zuko and Iroh.

Ignoring Sokka, Katara glanced between Aang and Iroh. "Aang, meet you new master, General Iroh, also called the Dragon of the West."

Aang's jaw dropped, but he managed a decent bow.

Iroh smiled and then bowed to the young boy. "It will be a pleasure to teach the Avatar. Perhaps when you get to the more advanced levels, I will be able to train my nephew along with you."

Sokka cut into the conversation before anything more could be said. "No way! Him, I'll take," he exclaimed, pointing to Iroh, "but that…that…monster is getting left here!"

"Sokka! Don't be ridiculous. Azula will kill him if we leave him behind!" Katara exclaimed, moving to stand nose to nose with her brother, her fists clenched tight at her sides.

"I'm telling you that I don't care."

"And I'm telling you that he's coming!"

"No, he is not!" Sokka retorted hotly. The two siblings stood there, glaring each other down, both waiting for the other to capitulate. Neither did.

"We don't have time for this, guys! We have to leave." Aang reached into his pocket and pulled out his bison whistle, and then blew with all of his might.

Katara snatched her clothing off of the ground, and then turned to her brother. "Sokka, cover me, okay!" she exclaimed as she began tugging Iroh's shirt off of her slender form.

"Whoa!" Sokka hurried across the room to shield his sister from the other men's view, keeping a glare pinned on Zuko. "You even look this way, and I'll…"

"She's been with me for four days. If I really wanted to see her, I would have looked earlier," Zuko retorted, and Sokka colored.

"Why you…" He began, stepping away from his sister.

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed, clutching her garment to her chest as her face began to color. Sokka quickly resumed his duty, glowering at Zuko the entire time.

"Nephew, that was most unnecessary," Iroh rebuked Zuko softly, and Zuko bowed his head.

"I apologize, Uncle." Zuko then turned, and glared straight back at Sokka. Iroh merely sighed. The room fell into a tense silence, broken only by the sound of cloth rustling. When that stopped, the tension in the room grew even thicker.

"I wonder where Appa is," Aang said after a second, peering out the window. "He must have flown really far away."

"Well, you gave the reins to a blind girl. What did you expect?" Sokka retorted. Katara placed a hand on her brother's shoulder, encouraging for him to calm down. It didn't work.

"What were you thinking?" Sokka hissed, glaring at Katara and then the fire benders, and then back at his sister.

"I was trying to help Aang," Katara muttered, and Sokka's shook his head with disgust.

"We could have found…uh… the fire bender that Aang met earlier. What was his name?"

Aang stepped up to Katara's defense. "Jeong-Jeong vanished, remember? We wouldn't know where to look for him. Besides, we know Iroh, and Toph likes him." The boy then narrowed his eyes when he looked at Zuko. The air bender's welcome of Iroh most assuredly didn't extend to his nephew.

"Well, well, Zuzu. It looks like you're rejected everywhere you go," a smooth voice cut in, and the group assembled turned their heads as one to face the entrance to Zuko's room.

"Azula," Zuko growled, and the girl smiled as she raised the lights in the room so that she could see well. Zuko lunged at his sister, but his uncle held him back.

Azula clucked her tongue. "Look at this… You turned your back on the fire nation to associate with betrayers to the crown. That's quite dishonorable, brother. Remember what happened last time you showed dishonor?"

Zuko unleashed a stream of fire, and Azula absorbed it easily. "What a temper. And here I thought you had overcome that." The girl then turned to Iroh. "Uncle, what a surprise to see you out of the prisons. I'm sure father will be quite upset when he learns that you tried to run away. Again," she added in reference to his legendary defeat at Ba Seng Se.

Iroh ignored the insult, and glanced around the room. Mai and Ty Lee flanked either side of Azula; the girl in dark robes had her knives ready and Ty Lee was in her battle stance. The girl in pink caught sight of Sokka, and she bounded forward. "Hi, cutie!" she beamed. "I missed you!"

"Ugh," Sokka muttered in disgust, and shoved the girl away. "Didn't miss you."

Ty Lee pouted, and then beamed again. "One day you'll love me," the girl predicted as she skipped back to Azula's side and blew Sokka a kiss. Sokka shivered.

"Was that really necessary, Ty Lee?" Mai asked in monotone, and Ty Lee grinned and nodded before winking again at Sokka. "I shouldn't have asked," Mai said to herself with a roll of her eyes.

Azula glanced between her two friends and then back over to the group assembled before her. "How are you feeling, Avatar? Tell me; are you even the Avatar anymore since I killed you when you were in the spirit state?"

"It's called Avatar state, hello!" Sokka piped up, and Azula sent a fireball his way. Sokka ducked and grinned.

"Missed me, missed me, now you got to… never mind," Sokka finished quickly, remembering how the rhyme went.

"Real mature, Sokka," Katara remarked dryly.

"I'll kiss you!" Ty Lee exclaimed, and Sokka paled. Azula stopped her friend with one arm as she smirked at the group.

"You should surrender now. You don't stand a chance against us."

"Never!" Aang exclaimed, and gathered large currents of air around him before releasing them all at Azula. Azula met Aang's air with fire, and then absorbed the combined energy.

Katara uncorked her pouch and then sent a water whip towards Azula, only to duck when Mai sent a barrage of knives at her. Aang caught the knives with the air currents and dropped them behind himself. Mai, however, had been prepared for that. She reached into her sleeves and withdrew more.

Meanwhile, Ty Lee cart wheeled her way over to Zuko, and went to stab him in a pressure point, but Iroh kicked the girl away from his nephew. Ty Lee landed hard on the floor, and then slid into the wall. The girl attempted to lift herself from the ground, but the collapsed, unconscious. Azula retaliated to the insult on her friend by releasing an onslaught of fire at her uncle, who easily turned all of the fire aside.

While Azula was distracted, Aang withdrew a large amount of water that had been left in the bathtub and hurled the wave at the young princess. Turning in the nick of time, Azula sent flames at the water, evaporating it into steam.

Mai continued hurling knives at Katara, and it was all that the water bender could do to keep out of their path. When Mai threw three at once, Katara whirled around and ducked, but not quickly enough. One of the knives sliced through the flesh just below Katara's ribcage and she crumpled to the ground in pain.

Seeing his sister on the ground, Sokka let out a war cry and hurled his boomerang at Mai's head. The girl dodged it, and the boomerang flew back into Sokka's outstretched hand. Sokka growled at Mai, and the girl turned her attention towards him. Her aim was accurate, but since Sokka jumped to the side, she merely grazed his arm.

While Sokka and Mai continued their battle, Aang, Iroh, and Zuko carried on their own fight with Azula. The combined forces of the three men were enough to hold Azula at bay while she worked with fire, so she quickly changed tactics. She changed her arsenal from flames to lightning.

She sent the first bolt at Aang, but Iroh stepped in front of the boy and channeled the lightning through his arm, down his belly, out the other arm, and through the window. Azula stepped back in shock. Never had she seen anyone do such a feat. Her surprise quickly turned to rage, and she released multiple bolts at once, focusing on each of the males before her.

Aang had felt the pain of the lightning once before, and was not about to do so again. The boy dodged the bolts, and released his own torrent of air attacks on the fire nation princess. Zuko, who had also learned how to channel lightning, was able to absorb Azula's attacks with little consequence to himself.

Seeing that she was outnumbered, Azula searched the room for her friends. Ty Lee lay on the ground, useless to the battle now, and Mai was busy hurling knives at the water tribe peasant. "Mai!" Azula called, and her friend rushed over to her defense.

It suddenly became harder for the men to deflect both Azula's attacks and the barrage of knives, and injuries began to occur. While ducking one of Mai's knives, Zuko's arm was singed by one of Azula's flames. Iroh quickly compensated for his nephew's diverted attention, and managed tossed a bolt of lightning towards the two girls. Mai fell backwards, temporarily blinded by the bright light, and Azula cursed.

Just then, Toph's voice carried into the room. Appa had arrived. Sokka ran to his sister, who was pressing her hand tight against her abdomen, blood seeping through her fingers. The water tribe warrior gently lifted the girl up into his arms, and then ran to the window, ignoring the stabs of pain shooting upwards from his bicep. Azula made to hit him with a fire bolt, but Aang quickly knocked the girl back with a powerful blast of air.

"Go, both of you!" Iroh commanded his nephew and the avatar. Both boys hesitated for a minute, but with another order from Iroh they both dashed out the window and onto Appa's back.

Iroh turned back to his niece, fending off her attacks as he backed towards the window. Once he reached the sill, a pair of arms quickly yanked him backwards and the bison took off. Azula ran to the window and shot both lightning and bolts of blue flame at the retreating creature, but Zuko and Iroh stood on the saddle, absorbing and deflecting her throws.

"Azula?" a small voice came from the corner as Ty Lee sat up and rubbed her head, wincing when she saw her hand was covered in blood. Mai stumbled up at about the same time, rubbing her sore eyes.

Azula looked from the bison to her friends, and then she sighed sharply. "They got away, no thanks to either of you!" she snapped before letting out a pent up breath. Ty Lee's lips were quivering and the poor gymnast looked as though she were about to burst into tears at any given moment.

Despite herself, Azula felt her anger softening. "Come on, let's get you to the infirmary," she muttered gruffly to hide her concern. The day someone found out that she cared was the day that the fire nation lost the war. Azula knew that neither would ever happen.

* * *

"Katara, are you okay?" Sokka demanded as he cradled his little sister gently in his arms. Katara went to sit up, and stifled a cry of pain. All Sokka heard was a whimper. "You! This is all your fault!" Sokka shouted, pointing at Zuko. The banished prince was cradling his own burned arm, and chose to ignore the water tribe warrior for the moment.

"Don't be stupid," Katara muttered, bracing herself as she sat up. White hot pain seemed to attack every nerve ending in her body as she did so, and the girl squeezed her eyes closed to keep the tears from leaking out. "She has really good aim," Katara mumbled resentfully as she glanced down at the wound.

Sokka reached for Katara's water pouch and the girl shook her head. "Don't bother. It's empty. If it had been full I'd have already healed myself."

Sokka's brows furrowed. "Then lie down and let me get a bandage on you. I don't want you exerting yourself."

Katara smiled slightly. "Hey. I thought I was the healer around here." Sokka grinned, and then gently kissed his sister's forehead and went to help her lie back down. Katara, however, had other things in mind. "Did anyone else get hit?" she asked, and all aboard Appa's saddle were silent.

Katara sighed. "Aang, are you alright? Azula didn't hit you again, did she?" Katara demanded, fear edging her voice.

"No." Aang then looked back from where he was holding Appa's reins to Katara. "Do what Sokka says, okay. I don't want your side to get any worse." The boy's eyes were brimming with tears since he had seen Katara's pain.

The girl in question gave the boy a smile. "Don't look so upset, Aang. I'm not dying."

Aang turned around again. "No, but you're hurt. I shouldn't have let you get hurt," he mumbled, and Toph scoffed.

"Come on, Twinkle Toes. You heard the girl. She's fine. All we need to do is get her to some water, and she'll be able to heal herself."

"Yeah, Aang. Don't worry," Katara said soothingly, and her voice seemed to calm the young Avatar down. Katara then looked around the saddle and frowned when she saw Zuko nursing his arm. "Zuko, you're hurt!" the girl exclaimed, and moved forward to look at his arm, forgetting her own injury in the process. Grunting with pain, Katara fell back against her brother's chest.

"See! You did it again!" Sokka yelled, glaring daggers at the fire bender.

Katara rolled her eyes. "It was my fault Sokka." Sokka opened his mouth to protest, but Katara cut him off before he had the chance to speak. "And don't you dare say that it was his fault that he was injured." Sokka's mouth snapped shut, but he glared at the fire bender again.

"What happened?" Katara asked, studying Zuko's arm closely. Zuko shrugged, and turned away.

"You'd better Sugar Queen look at it or she'll never shut up," Toph advised and Sokka groaned.

"Come on, Katara! He's the enemy!" Sokka whined, and Katara ignored the pain long enough to smack her brother upside the head. "Hey! What was that for?"

"For being your stupid self," Toph supplied, and Katara grinned.

"Nephew, show the healer your wound," Iroh instructed, and Zuko turned to glare at his uncle. Then, remembering his betrayal, the boy's shoulders slumped and he nodded. He peeled back his sleeve, hissing as the cold air made contact with the burned flesh.

He then knelt before Katara, extending his arm as far as he was able without hurting himself further. Katara glanced over the wound, her lips forming a little 'o' when she saw the blistering. "It was blue flame," Zuko supplied, and Katara nodded slightly.

"Aang, find us a landing site well protected and close to a river, please," Katara requested and the twelve year old boy nodded, his face still scrunched up from his worry over Katara.

"Now that you've seen everything will you please just lie down?" Sokka begged, and Katara sighed.

"At least he's not talking about food," Toph offered, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Food is not all I think about, okay?"

"Yeah it is!" Toph, Katara, and Aang chorused.

Sokka slapped his head and groaned. "Just lie down, will you!" he exclaimed, and Katara finally did as she was told. "You know, you have got to be the single most stubborn…"

"Another word and I won't mend your pants anymore," Katara warned and Sokka snapped his mouth shut.

"Gran-Gran would be ashamed of you," Sokka muttered through narrowed eyes.

"Gran-Gran ran away from a sexist man like you when she was young. If she did that, I think that I'm allowed to refuse to mend your pants." Katara retorted, and Sokka groaned.

"Don't remind me! To think that Gran-Gran was betrothed to a guy like Master Pakku…"

"It was an arranged marriage, Sokka."

Thinking of arranged marriages made Sokka think of Yue, and he glanced up to the moon, which shone brightly in the night sky. Suddenly, all fight went out of him and grabbed a roll of bandages from the sack nearest to him, careful not to disturb Katara.

Katara chewed on her lip. "Sokka, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

Sokka gently touched his sister's hair. "I know you didn't," he murmured with a slight smile as he began untying the girl's obi. "Let me just get this on you," he mumbled, pushing the sides of her outer robe down so that he had access to her waist.

The two fire benders looked at each other and then shrugged. They hadn't received a very warm welcome, and they didn't want to push their luck by asking about personal issues.

"What was that all about?" Toph demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. As usual, no one answered her question. Katara had once told her 'Everyone is entitled to their secrets," and Aang had once said 'Sokka's has more emotions than he seems to,' but that was all anyone had ever said.

Sokka's eyes widened when he saw the gash, and he drew a sharp intake of breath. "This doesn't look too good, Katara," Sokka noted as he reached for the bandages.

"Yeah, well it doesn't feel too good either. Just hurry up, okay?" Sokka quickly did as she asked, and Aang looked back.

"How's she doing?" the boy asked with concern and Toph waved him off.

"She's fine Twinkle Toes. Concentrate on finding us a landing place." Aang turned back around obediently, and continued to search for a secluded area with a stream or river nearby.

Once Sokka was finished wrapping Katara's wound, he carefully redressed her and then cradled her in his arms again. Unfortunately, her face wound up to close to the spot where Mai's blade had nicked him. "Sokka, you idiot! Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" Katara demanded, and Sokka groaned.

"Because I knew you wouldn't lie still if you knew," he muttered, and then pressed his hand over her chest to keep her from sitting up. "Lie down and go to sleep, Katara."

"What?" The girl demanded, attempting to sit up again.

"If you don't get some rest, you'll be of no use to anybody. Now, sleep, will you?"

Katara went to argue, but for once she saw merit in the boy's argument. "Fine," she murmured as she cuddled against her brother's chest and shut her eyes. Sokka breathed a sigh of relief once her breathing evened out, and then he too closed his eyes.

No longer under close scrutiny, Zuko turned to Iroh, remorse written all over his face. "I'm sorry, Uncle," the boy apologized, and Iroh laid his hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"You are forgiven."

* * *

I'd like to request feedback so that I can see how you guys like the story so far, what your suggestions are, and what you think that I need to work on. Trust me when I say it helps a lot with the story writing process when I have your reviews as a guide.

Thanks for reading,

Sandra Evans


	4. An old Friend

Aang sat on Appa's head, struggling to keep his eyes open. They had been traveling for two days straight now, and the young boy had yet to close his eyes. His worry for Katara was the sole thing that kept him from collapsing into slumber.

The wound on the girl's side had yet to be treated, and Aang had a sneaking suspicion that it was infected. Although Katara hadn't complained much, she hadn't been entirely lucid over the course of the day, and the worry etched onto Sokka's face only served to increase Aang's anxiety.

The boy looked back, and noticed with some relief that the girl in question was sleeping soundly against her brother's chest. Sokka hadn't moved from the spot, and surprisingly, had eaten very little since his sister's temperature started to climb. A second glance over Appa's saddle revealed that every one was sleeping, except for Zuko. As though the fire bender felt Aang's eyes on him, he whipped his head around to face Aang with a glare. Aang glared right back, and then turned around again, searching the land below him for a favorable place to land.

Aang wondered why Zuko had bothered to travel with them it all. It was obvious that he didn't want to be here, and the boy severely doubted that anyone wanted the fire nation prince around. He certainly didn't. The fire bender had betrayed them, and what's worse, he had hurt Katara. Aang could never forgive the boy for that.

"You see anything, Appa?" Aang asked the bison as he continued to scan the ground with bloodshot eyes. They had traveled over the ocean for a full day and a half, and had only just now reached land. Aang was afraid to set up camp somewhere too close to shore with Azula on their tails, so he continued to urge the bison farther inland.

Aang looked down at Momo, who was curled up beside him, clutching the bag of meat that he had stolen from Sokka several days earlier. Surprisingly, Sokka hadn't threatened to eat Momo for the act yet. _He must really be worried,_ Aang thought, and a dread began to settle in the pit of his stomach. _She'll be okay. She has to be_, he attempted to console himself.

Aang took a sharp breath and closed his eyes. The twelve year old was generally optimistic, hyper, and was almost never seen without a large, crooked smile. The past week had changed that dramatically. Aang squeezed his eyes closed, determined not to worry anymore. Worrying was Sokka's job, after all.

"Aang," A voice came from the rear of the saddle, and Aang whirled around. Sokka was sitting up, cradling his sister closer to him. "We have to hurry."

Aang glanced back at the boy with wide eyes. "Is something wrong?" he demanded, thoughts of sleep suddenly miles away.

Sokka gently rested his hand against his sister's forehead and winced. "She's burning up, and we don't have any water to cool her down with." The boy met Aang's worried gray eyes with blue ones that shone with uncharacteristic fear.

Aang felt panic rising in his chest, and he gripped the reigns tighter. "Appa, yip-yip!" the boy exclaimed, scanning the ground below him with renewed fervor.

Sokka let out the breath that he'd been holding and brushed a sweaty strand of hair out of his sister's face. What he was afraid to tell Aang was that he believed Katara was no longer at the point where she could heal herself. "She shouldn't be like this so soon," Sokka muttered to himself as he continued to brush back damp strands of Katara's hair.

"The blade was poisoned," Zuko replied in monotone from where he sat, and Sokka's head jerked up, the concern on his face replaced by a dark glare. Zuko raised an eyebrow, and then glanced over Katara from his seat a few feet away. "I wasn't sure at first, but now…" Zuko shrugged and looked back out at the sky.

Sokka glanced down from Zuko to his sister and felt his chest constrict. Katara had begun to shiver, and she was pressed as closely to Sokka's warmth as she could be.

Aang heard, and felt his heart stop. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice soft and scared. Zuko looked over the boy with distaste, but then nodded once.

"She has a high fever, I'm guessing, and she's shaking like a leaf. I can't see from over here, but she probably has a rash, and if you peel back the bandages, the area around the cut will be mottled." Zuko continued in his customary bored tone.

"How do you know all this?" Sokka demanded suspiciously, but the fear in his voice was evident.

"I grew up with Mai and Azula. Trust me, I know." Zuko then leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his head against the side of Appa's saddle. "Do you want me to look at it?"

"No!" Sokka snapped, clutching Katara to him protectively. _That…that… fire bender is not stepping within a foot of my sister! Not while I'm alive. _The girl had a tendency to trust men that he didn't, and every time that happened she wound up getting hurt. He was not going to let that happen again. Ever.

Zuko shrugged. "Fine," he replied with nonchalance as he closed his eyes. "I'm sure you're perfectly capable of diagnosing fire nation poisons and that you know the remedies to them."

Sokka growled in the back of his throat and pulled the girl tighter to his chest. Zuko shrugged again, and then ignored the water tribe warrior. Once the fire bender's attention was diverted, Sokka glanced over his sister's skin and saw with no small amount of horror that a rash was spreading up her chest and down her arms.

His breath coming fast, the boy then pulled down the sides of her outer garment to reach her bandage. Carefully, he pulled the strips of cloth back, and Katara let out a small cry. "Shh," he murmured, gently stroking her forehead and the girl quieted. When Sokka glanced down at the exposed wound he saw that the skin around it was mottled pink and white, and the cut itself was turning a nasty shade of black. Carefully, he re-applied the bandage and then looked up at Aang.

"Land now! I don't care if it's out in the open, or in a field, or even on the back of a unagi! Land!" Sokka exclaimed, and the others on Appa's back slowly began to stir. Aang looked to the ground with renewed fervor.

"But we're only a few days from Ba Seng Se!" Aang protested, and Sokka stared back at him, wild eyed.

"Aang, she could die." No more needed to be said.

Iroh stirred from where he was sleeping beside his nephew and opened his bleary eyes. "What is all the commotion?" he asked Zuko, forcing his substantial bulk into a sitting position.

Zuko opened his eyes and turned to his uncle. "Mai hit the water tribe girl with a poison blade. It hasn't been treated yet, and she's running a fever."

Iroh's eyes widened and he looked to the girl. "Have the hallucinations started?" he asked lowly, and Zuko shook his head slightly.

"Not yet. I'd give it a few hours before that happens." Iroh met his nephew's eyes. They both knew the poison that Mai preferred. Once the hallucinations came, there was no guarantee of survival.

Appa lowered suddenly, and Toph was startled out of her slumber. "What are you trying to do, Twinkle Toes? Get us all killed?" the earth bender demanded angrily, pounding her fist on the side of Appa's saddle.

"Sorry, Toph," Aang apologized. "Sokka, there's a stream just ahead. Will that be okay?"

"Its water, isn't it?" Sokka snapped, and Aang pulled Appa in for a landing. Meanwhile, Sokka had begun to gently shake his sister's shoulders. "Katara, Katara, you have to wake up!" he exclaimed as he continued to shake her.

When Katara finally opened her eyes, they were dilated. "Hunh?" she managed past her swollen throat, and then winced at the pain it caused.

"We're almost to the water. Can you stay awake for just a little bit longer?" Sokka asked, ducking as a branch whizzed by his head. He turned to pin a glare on Aang, but the boy was too busy steering Appa for a quick landing to see.

Katara grimaced, and her head lolled to the side. "Katara!" Sokka exclaimed, gently slapping the girl's cheeks. Katara forced her eyes open again, and then struggled to focus on her brother. "Hey, Snow Bear. You gonna stay with me this time?"

Katara's eyes started to roll back into her head again, but she snapped back to attention and nodded ever so slightly. "Good girl," Sokka murmured, gently stroking her hair. "Aang found us a stream. Do you think you'll be able to heal yourself?" he asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice. What scared him was that Katara didn't pick up on that.

The girl managed another nod, and moaned softly at the pain the small movement caused. The second that Appa touched down, Sokka handed Katara off to Aang, who jumped down from the bison with ease and hurried the girl over to the stream. "Katara? Katara!" the boy cried, and Katara's eyes slid open again.

"Mom?" she murmured softly, and Aang's eyes widened.

"Sokka!" Aang cried, and the water tribe warrior ran over to the stream where Aang knelt with Katara in his arms. "Sokka, she's…"

"Mom, is that you?" Katara asked before Aang could continue. Sokka stared in horror down at his sister, who was looking past him with a slight smile on her face.

"Aang, go get Zuko," Sokka managed, swallowing his pride for the moment. Aang's eyes widened and he sat stock still for a moment. "What are you doing? Go!" Sokka shouted at the young air bender. Aang quickly shoved Katara into Sokka's arms, and then dashed off. "Katara!" he shouted, shaking his sister's shoulders.

Katara continued to look in the distance. "Where'd you go, Mom? I missed you." Sokka shook her harder, and then looked helplessly over to where Zuko and Iroh approached. "Are you going to stay this time?" she asked, her smile changing into a mask of worry.

"What's happening," Zuko asked as he leaned over the pair, and then noticed the look in her eyes. "Uncle!" the boy shouted, and Iroh hurried his pace, arriving red faced and out of breath. The man took in Katara's appearance with a worried frown, and then looked to his nephew.

"I'm going to see if I can find herbs to make a poultice with. Put her in the water and keep her there to bring down the fever until I come back. Understand?" Zuko nodded mutely, busily attempting to extract the girl from Sokka's iron grip. "And boil some water."

"For what?" Zuko demanded as he glared down at Sokka.

"Tea," Iroh replied simply as he hurried into the dense foliage.

"Give her to me!" Zuko exclaimed as he tugged on Katara tighter. Sokka stared down into his sister's face, and then up at Zuko before he hardened himself and willed his arms to release his sister. Once she was in Zuko's arms, the boy hurried her down to the stream and laid her down on the bottom. The water barely covered the girl's stomach, so Zuko made himself busy by splashing water over her exposed abdomen.

"What can I do?" Sokka demanded as he stepped into the water and knelt beside his sister, gently cradling her head in his lap.

Zuko continued splashing the water on the girl without looking up. "Hold her down. She'll probably start jerking soon," he replied without inflection, and Sokka paled. He gently stroked his sister's cheek with his thumb, ignoring the pain that was beginning to course through his own arm.

"Mom…"

* * *

_Katara was in a field of white, but the air wasn't cold as it should be in the South Pole. The girl knelt to the ground and ran her hands over the snow only to realize that it wasn't snow at all, or ice for that matter. It was like she was in a void; a bright void, but a void nonetheless. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the light, and Katara squinted. _

_The shape was familiar, and the parka over the woman's body worn with use, but Katara remembered it as well as she remembered the seal skin tents of her home. "Mom?" she asked, and the figure turned to face her. "Mom, is that you?" The figure was close enough now that Katara could make out the features and her eyes welled up. The figure opened her arms, and Katara ran forward, diving into her mother's embrace. _

"_Katara!" the woman cried, holding her daughter closer to her body. "My baby," she whispered, gently rocking the girl back and forth. Then, she held her daughter at arm's length, and looked her over. "But you aren't a baby anymore, are you? You've become a beautiful young woman since I saw you last." The woman gently wiped the tears away from her daughter's eyes._

"_Where'd you go, Mom? I missed you," Katara murmured snuggling herself into her mother's arms again. Before the woman could answer, Katara continued. "Are you going to stay this time?" Katara could feel her mother tense, and then the woman's long, graceful fingers began to stroke her child's head. _

"_How is Sokka?" her mother asked, as she held her daughter closer to her. _

"_He's the same as always," Katara managed with a slight laugh. Her mother smiled, although it was a smile tinged with sadness. _

"_And your father?"_

"_I don't know. He's been at war for the past two years." Katara paused, and breathed in her mother's familiar scent. It wasn't a beautiful one- rather; it was of firewood, animal hides, turtle seal blubber, and something entirely indistinct, but it was the smell of homecoming. "He misses you," the girl murmured, running her cheek over the soft fur of her mother's parka. _

"_I miss him too," her mother murmured softly, continuing to run her fingers through her daughter's hair. _

"_Where are we?" Katara asked after a few a time of comfortable silence, although the amount of time wasn't known. It could have been hours, or days, or only a matter of a few seconds. _

"_In the lights," Katara's mother replied softly, and Katara had no need to further question her. In the cold winter months, lights would shine through the sky, a beautiful dancing array of colors. It was the belief of the water tribe people that upon death, they would shift into the afterlife. Those still in the mortal sphere were given a glimpse of the after life through these lights in the sky. It was where the spirit world and the mortal world overlapped. _

"_Can I stay with you?" Katara asked, pulling away from her mother to look into her eyes. The woman whom Katara resembled so closely let out a shaking breath and shook her head with a gentle smile. "Why not?" Katara cried, tears springing into her eyes again. _

_Her mother gently cupped her face and wiped the tears away with her thumb. "You are destined for great things, greater than your father and I ever dreamed were possible." The woman smiled again, the smile that had just begun to fade from Katara's memory. "It isn't time for you to join me yet."_

_Tears continued to stream down Katara's face, and she buried herself in her mother's arms again. Her mother continued to rock her gently, as she had since Katara had been a baby. "But I want to," the girl murmured, reveling in the warmth of her mother's comforting arms. For five years now, it had been her job to comfort, her job to soothe the others. She had forgotten how good it felt to give her burdens over to another person; to simply curl up and cry._

"_I know, sweetheart. I know."_

_Katara wrapped her arms tighter about her mother's neck and the two just sat there for a long period of time. "It's time for you to go,"_

"_No!" Katara cried, clutching her mother closer to her. _

_Her mother's eyes were brimming with tears as well, but the woman gently smoothed back Katara's hair and pushed the girl back slightly. "You have to, baby," she said soothingly. _

"_No!" Katara replied stubbornly and her mother sighed as she gently ran her hands up and down her daughter's arms. _

"_Oh, Katara. You have such a wonderful life ahead of you. Believe me, I've seen it," the woman paused, and then smiled again. "I know how hard it is to leave me right now, but you have so much left to do in your time alive." Katara sniffled, and her mother gently traced her daughter's features with her fingertips. _

"_I will always be with you, my little water bender…"_

Katara felt warm lips on her forehead, and she groaned softly. "Mom?" she murmured, and then opened her eyes. The face of an anxious water tribe boy hovered over her, and Katara blinked. "Sokka!" she breathed, and smiled when she saw the worry on her brother's face dissolve into relief.

"Katara, you scared us!" he exclaimed, and yanked his sister close against his chest. Aang hurried over, and knelt beside the girl.

"Are you feeling okay?" the boy asked as he gripped the girl's hand, and Katara gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm fine. What happened to me?" Katara gently extracted herself from her brother's arms, and sat up. "Aang found a place for us to stay?" she asked as she looked around, and Sokka shook his head with a smile.

"Well, for what happened to you- Freakish dart girl hit you with a poisoned blade, and you've been out of it for a few days now."

"Wait! What about your arm?" Katara demanded, and Sokka managed a tight lipped smile.

"The fire benders helped," he admitted grudgingly, looking over to where the two were sitting a few feet away from the group gathered around Katara.

"Iroh healed you!" Aang chimed in with his trademark grin now in place since Katara was fine. Katara smiled at Aang, and then looked passed him to where the fire benders sat.

"Thank you," she said humbly, and Iroh gave her a huge smile before pouring himself a cup of tea.

"It was nothing my dear. Would you like a cup?" the old man asked, holding out a tea pot. Katara wondered absently when they had bought one, but she chose to nod instead of saying anything. Iroh stood up, stretching out old joints as he did so before walking over to Katara with a teacup in hand. The girl accepted it gratefully, and then turned to Zuko.

"How is your arm?" she asked, and Zuko's eyebrows shot up.

_I would have thought she's have forgotten by now. _"It's mending," he replied vaguely, and Katara frowned. She set her teacup on the ground, and then pushed herself into a standing position.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sokka demanded as he braced his sister when she faltered, but the girl shook him off. "Katara!"

"Let me see," Katara ordered, making her way over to Zuko and kneeling in front of him. Zuko looked to his uncle, who nodded, and then rolled up his sleeve. Katara gently peeled the bandages away and winces when she saw the blisters that covered his upper arm. "Sokka, get me some water," Katara ordered, and Sokka scowled.

"I'll get some!" Aang exclaimed before grabbing Katara's water pouch and dashing over to the river. He was back within a matter of seconds, and Katara smiled her thanks at the boy as he handed the pouch to her.

Katara pulled out a long strand of water and wrapped it around her hands. Zuko watched with veiled curiosity as the water glowed a turquoise color, and applied it to the burn mark. When the injury vanished nearly completely, the boy was no longer able to hide his interest.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't heal it completely," Katara apologized, probing the pink skin with her fingertips gently. "Maybe if I had gotten to it just after it happened, but…" the girl shrugged, and withdrew.

"Thanks," Zuko managed, and then looked away. Iroh watched the exchange with interest, and then he smiled down at Katara.

"It is good to see you well, my dear." He said with a smile as he gently squeezed her shoulders, and then turned to Aang. "We should probably depart now that she is awake. Azula has a three day gain on us."

Aang nodded. "Right!" He exclaimed with his trademark grin. "Just let me get Appa." Aang then dashed off, only to return under a second later. Sokka sighed. _Airbenders._ "Appa's gone!" Aang exclaimed, his gray eyes worried.

"Aang!" Katara exclaimed, rushing over to the boy. "It's okay. He probably just went to find some grass or something," she said, surveying the barren field before them. What she didn't know was that it had been lush and green when the gang had arrived.

"Yeah. The fluffball's a big eater," Toph agreed dryly, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Sure Toph, point out the obvious," he muttered, and the girl threw a pebble at his head. "That hurt!" the boy exclaimed, chucking the rock back at her. The girl dodged it and grinned.

"Missed me!"

"Enough!" Katara cut in with a swift jab of her hand, and both parties involved obeyed her. Toph stuck her tongue out at Sokka though, making him flush with anger. "I mean it," Katara warned with the tone of a scolding parent.

Sokka scowled. "Well, at least we know Katara's fine. She's back to her usual self."

"Yeah; Sugar Queen's being all motherly again," Toph added, and the two glanced over at each other with surprise that they had gotten along for once before scowling and looking away from each other obstinately.

Katara sighed. "You two children can stay here and work out your differences. Aang and I are going to go look for Appa," Katara informed her friend and her brother, resting her hand on Aang's shoulder. The boy flushed, and Katara smiled at him.

"Yeah, yeah. Go off with lover boy," Sokka muttered sinking down to the ground with a glare in the pair's direction. Aang blushed a deeper shade of red, and Katara raised her eyebrows at her brother in a 'what did I tell you about teasing him about that' kind of way. "Fine, I'm sorry!" Sokka muttered, glowering at the rebuke. Toph grinned at his discomfort, and Katara frowned.

"Please, just try to get along," she pleaded before heading off into the woods with Aang. Sokka felt Zuko's amused glance on him and he glared at the prince, who snorted and then glanced away. Iroh sighed. One moody teenager had been bad enough. The old general wondered what he had gotten himself into.

* * *

"Aang, over here!" Katara cried, lifting a large tuft of white fur from the ground. The boy's head jerked up from the foliage he'd been searching through, and he rushed over to Katara.

"This is great! The young airbender exclaimed, snatching the fur from Katara's hands and then sniffing it deeply. The boy coughed, and then pulled away with his face scrunched up in distaste. "Yep, that's Appa alright!"

Katara laughed, and then smiled as she watched Aang run around. "Look, there's more over there!" The young Avatar ran over to the next batch, and then caught sight of more. "And there!" he exclaimed, grinning so wide it looked as though his face was about to burst at the seams.

"See, I told you that Appa would be alright," Katara replied with a little smile, and Aang beamed at her.

"Well, you were right!" Aang continued to follow the trail of fur, and then he stopped suddenly. Katara was a few paces behind him, and she frowned at the boy's sudden lack of enthusiasm.

"What is it?" she asked as she stepped up behind the Avatar, and then fell silent. The area around them was quite obviously a battle ground- the trees were scorched with flames, and the foliage was blackened and trampled. "Fire nation," she murmured, and Aang turned to face her, the smile suddenly gone from his face.

"Do you think…" he started, but Katara cut him off before he could finish.

"No. This happened a while ago. Not too long though… maybe about a week or so." She knelt to the ground, and pointed several things out to Aang. "See how everything is still so fresh? But you can't see any footprints. That means that some time had passed, but not a lot."

"How do you know this stuff?" Aang asked after a second, his eyes wide with wonder.

Katara grinned. "I used to follow Dad when he was out hunting. Don't tell Sokka, though, or he'd never forgive me."

Aang smiled back, and then glanced around again. There were more white tufts of fur, and the boy followed them somberly. As they approached a ledge, something else caught Aang's eye. "Katara, it's…" the boy didn't need to finish. A funeral pyre stood before them, and it had quite obviously been used recently.

The pair gravely walked up the ledge, and both broke into relieved smiles when they saw Appa resting by the mouth of a cave. "Appa!" Aang cried, and then ran to the bison, jumping onto the animal's head. Appa gave a growl of welcome, and Aang laughed.

Katara, however, caught sight of something different. The cave had been used recently. The girl poked her head inside, and then coughed at the stench of sickness and disease. However, she continued to walk farther into the cave, looking around her. A tattered piece of green cloth caught her eye, and Katara's breath hitched in her throat. _Kyoshi warriors._ As the girl continued to walk, she noticed something else. Not all of the girls were dead.

"Aang!" she called and the boy jumped off of Appa's head and rushed into the cave.

"What is it Kata… What is that smell?" The boy lifted his sleeve to his nose in an attempt to blot out the stench.

"Get the others, but don't let Sokka come in here, do you understand me?" Aang nodded dumbly, and then hurried to do as Katara bid him. Katara let out a sigh of relief once the boy was gone, and then knelt beside the girl closest to her. The warrior's pulse was weak, but it was there.

Katara then uncorked her water pouch, and used it to probe the extent of the girl's injuries. With a stifled cry, the waterbender realized that nothing could be done. Blinking back tears, she rose to check the next girl's prone body, and sighed with relief when she saw that the damage was repairable. Quickly, she brought out the water and healed the girl's injuries to the best of her capability and then stood and moved onto the next one.

There were several more that Katara was able to save, but most of them were in horrible condition. The waterbender knew that she had to care for those who had the best possible chance of surviving first, but she resolved that as soon as she was finished with them, she'd return to the ones who were so close to death's door. She wasn't about to let them go without a fight.

Finally, she reached the last girl in the line, and then jumped back with surprise. The customary Kyoshi warrior makeup was streaked and rubbed off in some places, but there was no doubt about who it was. _Suki._

* * *

Alright, feedback time. First off, I want to know how you guys think Suki should play into the rest of the story. Should I have her be dead and eventually give a Tokka twist, or should I have Katara heal her and play up the Sokuki side of this as well as the Zutara? Please give me your opinions on this.

Thanks!


	5. One Sided

The girl that Katara was tending let out a hacking cough, pulling at the charred flesh of her ribcage. Katara braced the warrior's shoulders, easing the pain as best she could. When the girl finished, she moaned with pain through her delirium, and Katara gently lowered her back to the ground. Most of the Kyoshi warriors were in a similar condition, though there were some who were better off. There were also some that were far worse.

When Katara had arrived, there had been two girls whom she knew had no hope of survival. Gangrene had set into several of the wounds on their bodies, and parts of their limbs had been charred black. It had been a horrendous sight, but Katara had worked with the pair for hours. They died sometime the next morning.

Last night, another one had passed on as well. She had been fighting since the day that Katara arrived, but she had been bleeding internally… like Jet had been. Katara had worked hard on her, trying in vain to coax her back to life, but the girl had never woken up from her pain induced fever.

Now, the girl that Katara was using so much of her energy on was fading quickly. Katara was a healer, yes, but she had never had to deal with injuries of this magnitude. That last time she had seen such destruction was after the raid on her village. However, her father had shielded her from most of the atrocities that had been committed then. Now, she was forced to deal with the full brunt of war.

On Kyoshi, there had been twenty-six of the warriors. When Katara had discovered the cave, there had only been seventeen alive. Now, the Kyoshi members were down to fourteen. Wearily, Katara stood and made her way over to the next girl. This one had a large chance of making it, at least. She had woken at some point in the afternoon to ask for water. That had been the first intelligent statement Katara had heard from any of her patients over the past three days.

A quick check revealed that the sleeping warrior's vital signs were good. Katara moved onto the next patient, and then the next. When Katara arrived at Suki's side, she found that Sokka had beaten her there and was gripping the warrior's hand tightly. Katara gently rested her hand on her brother's shoulder, but he didn't even look up at her.

The water bender knelt beside Suki with a sigh and coated her hands with the healing water, watching her brother out of the corner of her eye as she did so. When she had first discovered all of the injured warriors, she had been terrified that Sokka would do something stupid. So, she made Aang promise her to keep the boy away from the cave. Aang had complied, and somehow had made Sokka believe that cleaning up all of Appa's fur and erasing everyone's footprints would help Suki.

Katara felt the corner of her lips turn up as she remembered Sokka and Aang carrying huge bundles of white fur to the fire that Iroh had started. The flames had smelled like Appa for the past few nights. Katara returned her attention to Suki, who was sweating heavily from a fever. Thankfully, the infections had been minimal and Katara had been able to heal her. However, the girl had been blasted with fire a number of times, and even with Katara's healing water she would scar badly.

"Is she going to be okay?" Sokka asked his sister for the thousandth time, and Katara let out a breath.

"She's doing much better," she replied, patting her brother on the shoulder as she rose. Suki wasn't in the most stable condition yet, but she was healing far faster than half of her counterparts.

Sokka let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding and glanced over to his sister. "Is there anything that I can do?" he asked as he clutched Suki's limp hand tighter.

"Keep her cool. When you feel her temperature start to climb, put wet cloths over her forehead and upper torso," she replied evenly, and then headed towards the fire. A pot hung low over the flames, and a concoction that Iroh had brewed was boiling inside of it. Katara had to admit that the thick substance did have wonderful medicinal properties. The girls that she had given the drink to had slept for a few hours peacefully, at least.

Katara bent over the flames and ladled some of the brew into a cup, brushing a sweaty strand of eyes out of her face. "You look awful," Zuko commented from his seat by the fire, and Katara pinned a glare on him.

"Thanks," Katara muttered darkly, glowering. She then took the mug and headed back over to Suki, where she began to spoon the concoction into the girl's mouth. _What is wrong with him? I've been working myself to the bone over the past three days, but has he ever once gotten up to help? No! What does he do? He just sits there, like he's feeling sorry for himself! _Katara's nostrils flared, and it took all the self-control she had not to whirl around and throw the cup at the fire prince's head. _Ex-Fire Prince. _

Katara stepped away from Suki, nodded to Sokka, and then hurried to the entrance of the cave. Night was just descending, and the sounds of the forest made her leery. She had grown up with the sounds of crashing waves and the warbling of Zebra Seals lulling her to sleep, and the new noises that were a part of the earth kingdom often unnerved her. The air even smelled different than it did in the South Pole- heavier somehow with all of the plant and animal life. To was so different from the smell of the seawater and fresh snow that she had been raised with.

_I'm homesick, _Katara realized with some surprise. This was the first time so far on her journey with Aang that she had compared the earth kingdom to the South Pole and found it wanting. She had stepped outside to clear her head, and somehow blundered into thinking about home.

"Katara?" And old face came from behind her, and the young waterbender turned to face Iroh wearily. Iroh frowned when he glanced over her, and gently rested his hands on her shoulders. "My nephew was right. You do look awful."

Somehow, the statement wasn't an insult when the general said it, and Katara found herself giving a slight laugh in response. Iroh squeezed her shoulders. "You need rest. Come with me and I'll make you some calming herbal tea," he offered, and Katara shook her head.

"Thank you, Iroh, but I have too much to do. Not all of the girls are stable yet, and…"

"And I can care for the Kyoshi Warriors while you sleep for a few hours. You are a gifted healer, Katara, but you only have so much to give before you're all 'given' out," Iroh replied soothingly, leading the girl back into the cave and over to the fire.

"But…"

Iroh wagged a finger in the air somewhat playfully as he sat her down on the opposite side of the fire from Zuko. "No buts. You need rest, and I know some things about medicine."

"Iroh…"

"Not another word. You rest here while I go take care of the warriors." Iroh then turned to his nephew." Now for that tea…" Iroh mumbled, picking up a teapot and filling it with a bucket of water from his side. He carefully measured the correct amount of herbs into the water, and then heated the pot through fire bending.

"There you are, my dear," Iroh said as he poured a cup of the liquid and then held it out to Katara. "Zuko, make sure that young Katara stays here." Iroh instructed as he turned to work with the warriors.

Zuko nodded. "Of course, Uncle," he replied respectfully. As soon as Iroh was gone, Zuko looked update Katara emotionlessly before standing up to stir the brew. "You should sleep now," he said after he sat back down as his eyes followed his Uncle's movements.

"I don't have to do what you tell me," Katara snapped, and Zuko raised a brow. Apparently, the truce that the two had formed aboard Azula's ship no longer held sway.

Katara then sighed sharply, and took a deep breath. "I…" she shook her head. "Never mind." She mumbled under her breath, and Zuko chose to ignore the attempt she had made at conversation. It was far easier to ignore her than to attempt to talk to her. Girls.

Katara sat, watching the flames for several minutes. After a time, her eyelids started to get heavy, and although the waterbender struggled, she couldn't quite keep them open. It was through half closed eyes that she noticed the flames beginning to take shape. The flames seemed to bend to form a picture, one of turtle ducks swimming in a small pond. Then the flames shifted, and the image of a Turtle Seal suddenly sprang to life.

Katara shook her head._ Maybe I really do need some sleep, _she thought incredulously. With a yawn, the waterbender finally laid down and succumbed to sleep, although she was fairly certain that she saw a creature that looked suspiciously like Momo take form just before her eyes closed.

Zuko released his hold on the flames and they sprang back into place once the water tribe girl drifted off. He felt his uncle's eyes on him, but he ignored the old man's curiosity. Making the girl believe she was delusional had certainly made her fall asleep faster than his uncle's tea had.

Zuko sighed and leaned his head back as he stared up at the ceiling of the cave. They had been in this place for six days. That was six days that Azula had on them. She could be anywhere… even in the bushes just outside the cave. Zuko shuddered at the thought. He had no doubt that the next time he faced his sister, the girl would be more then ready to take him down.

Thinking of his sister made him look at Katara, and then over to her brother. The pair seemed to be very close, and if the Water Tribe boy's behavior was any indication of their relationship, they would die for each other. Azula _wanted_ him dead. Zuko grunted at the thought and stood quickly, making his way over to his uncle.

"Aren't you supposed to be watching Katara?" Iroh asked without looking up as he applied a damp strip of cloth to a Kyoshi warrior's forehead.

Zuko shifted his weight. "You know that she's asleep, Uncle," he replied, and Iroh nodded slightly. "Uncle, I want to know if… if I can help?" he asked after a second.

If Iroh was surprised, he didn't show it. "Of course, nephew." He replied with a smile in his voice. "Sponge the cloth over her like this," Iroh said and demonstrated. Zuko nodded, and took his uncle's place silently. "I'll be working with the next girl over," Iroh informed his nephew, who simply nodded again.

A corner of Iroh's lips quirked upwards as he began working on another of the Kyoshi warriors. His nephew had distanced himself from the little group since the time that he was no longer needed to help heal Katara. Iroh didn't entirely blame Zuko, for the others showed little trust or respect for him. It was nice to see him participating in something again rather than sulking in front of the fire.

Iroh glanced down the long line of girls and sighed. Not all of them would make it. In fact, probably half of the amount left would be dead within a week. Iroh glanced over to the sleeping water bender and heaved out a sigh. The girl was still a child; she shouldn't have to be forced to deal with such things. None of them should. Iroh's eyes roamed about the cave.

Toph and Aang were sound asleep in their bedrolls, oblivious to the world around them for a moment. Katara too was sleeping, but Iroh could see even from this distance that her dreams were troubled. After seeing so much scorched flesh and death, how could a young girl's dreams be otherwise? And then Iroh's gaze rested on Sokka, who was still clinging to the hand of a Kyoshi warrior.

Iroh could plainly see that the boy had feelings for the girl… Suki, he remembered. He was also quite certain that Katara had used much of her energy to heal the girl's injuries, perhaps shortchanging those who had a better chance of making it. However, he understood her reasoning. When she had spoken with him in the prison cell on Azula's ship, he realized that she felt her brother's pain as clearly as if it were her own. No wonder why she was so determined to bring the Kyoshi Warrior back from the jaws of death. Iroh's gaze traveled back to Zuko and he sighed. _Poor boy._

Sokka gripped Suki's hand tighter as he gently squeezed some water onto her forehead. At least she was dreaming peacefully now, rather than moaning in her sleep. In all honesty, the water tribe warrior was terrified. Sokka wasn't as stupid as everyone seemed to think he was. He knew that when Katara said, "She's doing much better," his sister really meant, "I don't know if she'll be okay or not."

Sokka forced his mind away from dreary thoughts, and looked down at Suki's face. He had never seen her without her warrior's make-up before. With it gone, she seemed so much more human, more fragile. So much more like a girl than a warrior. The boy tenderly traced Suki's cheek with his thumb, and then drew back quickly, afraid to disturb her.

Quite frankly, Sokka was surprised that she had lived for so long before they arrived. Katara had healed a knife wound just above Suki's collarbone, but a thin white scar still remained. In addition, the warrior had been hit hard with a fireball, probably at close range. The scar extended from just above her right breast to her shoulder. Mai's knives had also slashed Suki on both her cheek and her thigh. In short, the girl had been a mess. Sokka was grateful now that his sister had only let him into the cave once the wounds had healed into scars.

Sokka gently touched Suki's cropped hair, noticing that the ends of the right side had been singed… probably caused by the same fireball that had hit her in the shoulder. For a time, Sokka hadn't been sure that she would die, but now… Sokka let out a breath. He still wasn't sure, but he was thankful that her breathing was even. He looked from the fire where his friends were sleeping, and then to Suki who slept at his side. Sokka wouldn't be going anywhere tonight.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.

"Hey, Twinkle Toes, get over here!" Toph shouted, stamping her foot so that the earth beneath Aang trembled.

"Can't it wait Toph? Kind of busy!" Aang replied cheerfully as he stuffed another handful of Appa's hair into his bag. The children had learned their lesson long ago. Appa's hair left a trail; a trail that Azula would definitely follow. Aang really didn't want that to happen again.

"I don't care if you're speaking to your spirit guide, you'll do what I say!" the blind girl demanded, stamping her foot again. Unfortunately for her, Aang's feet were hovering above the ground, so the trembling earth had no effect on him.

"Fine," Aang grumbled, and walked over to Toph. "What?" he asked, and Toph grinned.

"Nothing."

"What?" Aang demanded, his normally smiling eyes narrowing.

Toph smirked. "Just wanted to make sure you'd listen to me, that's all," she replied with a cheeky grin, and Aang rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Sifu Toph," Aang replied, reverting to his pupil voice. Then, he brightened. "Guess what!" he exclaimed, and Toph ignored him. "Toph!"

Toph sighed. "I don't guess, Twinkle Toes."

Undeterred, Aang plowed ahead with his news. "Oki's fever is finally gone! Katara told me that she's gonna start walking soon. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, great," Toph replied dismissively as she continued practicing her earthbending. "Who's Oki?"

"The girl who asked for water yesterday," Aang replied, grabbing another tuft of fur. "Katara's really excited about it. She hasn't been very happy since we got here, so it's nice to see her smiling," the boy continued, and Toph mimicked him while he was occupied.

_Katara, Katara, Katara! Does Twinkle Toes ever think of anything else? Toph, Katara says we need to do this… We have to cut our lesson short today 'cuz Katara needs to practice waterbending with me._ Toph snarled and clenched her fists. So the boy had a crush, but he was taking it to outrageous proportions. _I don't care if he's the Avatar! He drives me crazy!_

"Sunee woke up this morning too," the boy continued, and Toph let out a sharp breath.

"They'd all better wake up soon or we'll never get out of here," she muttered, tossing a relatively large boulder at a tree. Aang winced when he saw the damage the girl had done, and then turned to face the young earthbender.

"You should sound happier. Three of the warriors died since we got here, and Katara says that two more are pretty close to it." He said, his normally chipper voice gone quiet and serious.

Toph felt chastised for a moment, and then grew angry that Aang of all people could ever make her feel guilty. She hid her feelings with her usual sarcasm. "That's too bad," she replied, and then stomped on the ground. "Think fast!"

Aang dodged the rock that was currently flying at his bald head, and then threw a burst of air at Toph.

"Earthbending only!" the girl shouted angrily as she stood up and took her fighting stance.

Zuko smirked from his place at the mouth of the cave as he watched the twelve year olds' antics. _And he's supposed to save the world…_ he thought dryly as he watched the Avatar stick his tongue out at the blind girl. _We're in more trouble than I thought._

"Nephew!" came Iroh's voice from inside, and Zuko turned to face the man with a brow raised. "Will you please relieve me for a moment? My old bladder has gotten rather…"

"Ugh, don't need to know!" Zuko replied quickly. From her place at one of the young warriors' side, Katara smiled wearily. "Go and… whatever. I'll take care of them," Zuko finished, and Iroh smiled before glancing back at Katara and walking out the door.

As Iroh walked out, Katara's eyes flickered up to Zuko and then back down at her patient. "Zuko…I…" Katara sighed softly, and then looked up to meet the banished prince's eyes. "I want to apologize for snapping at you the other night. You weren't helping, and I was just…" Katara sighed again. "I'm sorry."

Zuko knelt beside the girl his uncle had been working on. "Good," he replied as one corner of his mouth quirked upwards slightly. He knew he should have just accepted her apology, but he wanted to see how she'd react.

"Excuse me?" Katara demanded, and Zuko had to struggle harder to suppress a smile. The waterbender was entirely too predictable.

"You had no right to snap at me," he replied in monotone, and Katara glared at him.

"I had every right! You've chased us around for almost a year, you tried to kill my best friend, you're infuriating," Katara exclaimed, ticking the reasons off on her fingers, "and you tied me to a tree! A tree!"

"You're still mad at me for that? That was six months ago!" Zuko exclaimed, his eyes widening.

Katara glared at him. "I don't care if it was six _years_ ago. You tied me to a _tree_. With pirates nearby, for La's sake!"

"Well, you did steal their waterbending scroll," Zuko pointed out. "They had a right to be there."

"They stole it in the first place! I gave it back to the Northern Water Tribe, just so you know," Katara retorted, glowering.

"I accept your apology," Zuko replied evenly, and watched out of the corner of his eyes as the waterbender's eyes narrowed.

"Well, you can't accept it because I take it back!"

"You can't take it back," Zuko retorted, and Katara scowled.

"You're…you're… ugh!" Katara unceremoniously threw the rag she had been wiping the Kyoshi warrior with down into the bucket of water. She then snatched the bucket to her chest and stood quickly, some of the water sloshing out onto her dress.

"You're leaving?" Zuko asked calmly as Katara stalked to the door, her braid swinging back and forth.

"I'm getting some fresh water!" she retorted hotly, and disappeared out the mouth of the cave. Zuko smirked slightly, and continued sponging down the Kyoshi warrior that he had been working with.

"Nephew?" Iroh inquired as he entered the cave, and Zuko shrugged. Iroh sighed, and began working on the girl laid out beside the Kyoshi Warrior Zuko was attempting to cool down.

"You shouldn't aggravate her," he rebuked as he dipped a cloth into the bucket of water.

"It's very difficult not to," Zuko replied in monotone, and his uncle sighed again.

"Please try," was all Iroh said, and a silence descended onto the pair, broken only when Katara re-entered, more in control of her motions.

"You could have taken a longer break, Iroh," the water bender said with a small, concerned frown, and the old general beamed up at her.

"I'm fine. I could use a nice cup of tea though," he admitted, and Katara chuckled.

"I'll make some for you," she offered, and headed over to the fire to do just that.

"My thanks, Katara," Iroh replied with a smile, and then turned to his nephew as if to say 'it is all together too easy to avoid aggravating her.' Zuko rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his patient.

Katara returned from the fire with a steaming mug of tea in hand, and Iroh took it with a slight smile. He thanked her, and then sniffed at it warily. The last time a teenager had made tea for him, the general had thought he was going to vomit. Iroh took a cautious taste, and then grinned. "This is very good," he said with some measure of surprise. "My nephew couldn't make tea if his life depended on it."

A corner of Katara's lips turned up, and she cast a sidelong glance at Zuko. "Oh really?" Zuko turned crimson, and then pinned a glare on his uncle.

"I never thought that tea had the ability to be burned, but somehow my nephew accomplished just that," Iroh continued with a grin, oblivious the dark looks his nephew was throwing towards him.

"Well, well. Mr. High and Mighty has a fault after all," Katara said in response, and Zuko's eyes narrowed. Katara gave a little smile of triumph, and then sauntered past the pair to where her brother sat.

"Did you have to say that?" Zuko hissed, and his uncle's eyes widened.

"What did I say?" the man asked, bringing the cup of tea to his lips and drinking deeply.

"Ugh… Never mind," Zuko muttered.

Katara knelt beside her brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. "How's she doing?" the waterbender asked as she glanced over the Kyoshi Warrior with a critical eye.

"You're the healer," Sokka replied wearily with his trademark sarcasm.

Katara turned her attention from Suki to her brother. "When was the last time you slept?" she asked after a once-over, and Sokka stiffened.

"I don't need to sleep."

Katara smiled. "Contrary to popular belief, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe is not invincible." She waited for him to scowl, or complain, or even to crack a grin, but there was no response. "You're exhausted. You need some rest."

"No, I don't," the boy replied stubbornly, and Katara rolled her eyes.

"How come I have to sleep when you tell me to?"

"Because I'm your older brother," Sokka replied without glancing away from Suki's face.

"I'm your sister."

Sokka shook his head. "Not the same thing."

Just then, Suki's hand twitched in Sokka's grasp, and the boy clasped it harder. The girl let out a soft moan, and then her green eyes opened ever so slowly. "Suki!" Sokka cried, leaning over the girl's face as he brushed a hand over her forehead.

"Sok…" the girl dissolved into a coughing fit, and Katara knelt beside her with a bowl of water.

"Drink it slowly," Katara instructed, and Suki nodded slightly as she obeyed. "Sokka! You're hovering," Katara reprimanded, and the Water Tribe Warrior pulled away so fast that he landed hard on his rear.

Suki's lips twitched slightly into a smile, and then she reached out a hand to Sokka. "Help me sit up," she instructed, her voice hoarse. Sokka nodded dumbly, and helped the girl into a sitting position.

"How many are left?" she asked as she glanced at all of the girls lying beside her, and Katara got the impression that it was Suki who had helped to drag them all into the cave.

"Fourteen," Katara replied simply, and Suki sank back against Sokka's chest, her eyes squeezed tightly closed.

"By tomorrow?" she continued, her voice strained.

_She's a true leader. _"Eleven, maybe twelve," Katara said, and then she reached forward and touched Suki's arm. "But that's still a lot of people. Almost half of what you came here with," she encouraged, and Suki forced herself to nod.

Exhausted, the girl's eyes slid closed and Sokka helped her lie back down. "I'm sorry, Suki," Katara heard her brother say as she walked back towards the fire. _When he's not being sarcastic, obnoxious, or staring in a mirror, Sokka's actually pretty sweet,_ Katara thought absently, and then looked to Suki.

She could only imagine what it would be like to lose half of the people that she loved. What if Sokka died, and her father? What if Aang or Momo died? Or worse, what if it was all four? Katara squeezed her eyes closed against the wave of fear that came over her at the thought, and crossed her arms tight across her chest.

The eclipse was fast approaching, and Katara knew without a doubt that one or more people that she loved would die in the ensuing battle. A chill ran down her spine, and Katara sat beside the fire, her arms stretched out in front of her to soak up its warmth. _Spirits, please don't let it be so._

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Several days later, the remaining eleven Kyoshi warriors were on their feet and were able to travel. It was at this point that Aang decided that the gang needed to leave, and fast. Katara had protested at first, but Iroh had gently reminded her that there was nothing more that she could do for the girls. So, the healer had reluctantly given in and allowed her patients to travel back to Kyoshi Island.

Katara, Aang, Toph and Zuko were currently packing up camp, Sokka nowhere in sight. Either was Suki, for that matter. Katara smiled softly to herself, and Zuko caught the look.

"What?" he asked, and Katara glared at him.

"Nothing," she muttered, and Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Kaya."

"Katara!" the waterbender corrected, her eyes narrowed. At one point or another, Zuko had decided to come up with that… ridiculous nickname for her, and Katara couldn't stand it. _I'll bet that's why he uses it,_ she thought, glowering.

"I know, Kaya, I know," he replied, and Katara's lips thinned.

Aang quickly chimed into the argument, stepping into his role as the peace-making Avatar. "Katara, why don't you go find Sokka? We have to be leaving soon."

Katara smiled slightly at Aang and then flushed. "I don't think Sokka really want to be found right now," she informed the young Avatar, whose face scrunched up in confusion.

"Snoozles is off doin' kissey-goo-goo junk with Fan Girl," Toph clarified, disgust ringing in her voice. Katara picked up on something else as well…jealousy? Hurt? She'd have to speak to the earthbender about that later on.

"Really, Toph, can't you put that in a slightly more…mature way?" Katara asked with a slight shake of her head as she loaded some of their supplies onto Appa's saddle.

"What? Snoozles is sucking Fan-Girl's face off right now?" she asked, and Katara winced.

"Aren't you supposed to be a lady?" the waterbender asked pointedly.

Toph burped loudly, and then grinned. "What I'm supposed to be is different than what I am, Sugar Queen. You know that."

"You were lady-like enough in Ba Seng Se," Katara pointed out, and Toph sighed as she earthbended some supplies up to Appa's saddle.

"Until I pushed those spoiled brats in the river. And if I remember right, you soaked them," Toph added, and Katara blushed.

"Well… They were making fun of your make up. I had to," she replied quickly, but she was grinning as she spoke. The smile wasn't lost on the blind girl; she could hear it in Katara's tone.

Aang watched the two girls laugh with a shake of his head, and then turned to Zuko and made the crazy sign. The poor boy was slapped on both arms- Katara's punch was playful, but Toph's was painful enough to make a bruise. "We're not crazy!" the pair exclaimed at the same time, before looking at each other and dissolving into another fit of giggles.

Zuko rolled his eyes, and continued carrying supplies to Appa's saddle. Honestly, the people that he was forced to travel with… it was really very undignified. Once all of the supplied were loaded, Zuko turned to Katara again. "That water tribe peasant is making us wait way too long," he growled under his breath, and Katara sighed sharply.

"First of all, the 'water tribe peasant's' name is Sokka. Secondly, his girlfriend nearly died. I say that gives him the right to be off in the forest with Suki for a while."

"It's been an hour," Zuko pointed out, and Aang frowned.

"Does it take that long to say goodbye?" he asked, and Katara suppressed a smile.

"Sometimes," she replied, and then turned to Toph. "Where are they?"

Toph placed her hand on the ground to feel out Sokka's familiar vibrations. "They're over by the stream," she replied, and then stood up. "I think Fan Girl is crying," she added, and Katara chewed on her lip.

"I probably shouldn't interrupt them…"

"Of course you should!" Toph replied quickly, and Katara looked over the girl closely.

"Toph, you and I need to have a little talk while we wait for Sokka to get back," she said finally, grabbing the girl's hand and dragging her away from the boys. "And no eavesdropping!" she instructed, and Aang lifted his hands as if to say that he wasn't thinking about it in the first place. Zuko shook his head, and climbed up Appa's leg to his saddle.

Aang watched as Katara dragged the girl out of the clearing, and then turned to Zuko. "What do you think they're talking about?" he asked, and Zuko shrugged.

"I probably don't want to know about it, whatever it is," he replied, and Aang nodded slightly.

"Where's your uncle?" the boy asked as he airbended his way up to Appa's head, and Zuko rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Gathering leaves for his tea."

"Oh."

Zuko sat in silence for the rest of their time alone while Aang made himself busy speaking with Momo and Appa. _Like they can actually understand him,_ Zuko thought, and then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, it was to see his uncle clambering over the side of the saddle.

"My, things become more and more difficult with age," the old general said, placing his bag of dried leaves beside the rest of the supplies. "Of course, it could also be from all of the weight I've gained," Iroh continued, patting his ample stomach with a smile on his face. Zuko snorted.

"Where are the young ladies and Sokka?" Iroh asked, glancing around.

"Katara's with Toph talking about…something. They wouldn't say what though! And Sokka's in the clearing with Suki," Aang supplied with his characteristic enthusiasm, and Iroh bowed his head slightly in thanks before sighing.

"Young love," he said wistfully, and Zuko's face scrunched up in disgust.

"You're not going to…" he began, but his uncle cut him off.

"When I was a young lad…" Zuko dropped his head into his hands. _Here we go again._ Iroh continued speaking, much to his nephew's chagrin. "I was quite a hit with the young ladies. Of course, that was before I gained all this padding," he said with a chuckle as he rubbed his belly.

Zuko groaned. _Agni, save me. _

"Hey guys!" Sokka exclaimed, his arm slung around Suki's shoulders. He looked at the group assembled on the bison and then scratched his hand. "Where's Katara?"

"She is speaking with Toph," Iroh informed the Water Tribe Warrior, and Sokka frowned. "Now, do you want to hear about my love life when I was a man your age?"

Zuko sat behind his uncle mouthing no over and over, and Sokka winced. "Maybe another time," he replied, stifling a gag. Suki poked him in the side, and Sokka glanced over at her. "What?" he asked loudly, and Iroh chuckled.

"We have got to work on your subtlety," Suki muttered, and Sokka frowned.

"I thought I was being subtle."

Suki smacked a hand to her head and pushed Sokka over to the bison. "I have to speak with the girls. I'll grab Katara and Toph when I'm done with them," she announced, and Sokka nodded.

"Sure, sure," he agreed quickly, and Suki sighed with a smile and a shake of her head.

"I don't see why I put up with you," she muttered, and Sokka turned to face her with a grin.

"Probably just because I'm the best looking guy you've ever seen," he suggested, flexing. Suki rolled her eyes, and Zuko snorted. Aang just plain out laughed.

"Get on the bison, Sokka," Suki ordered, and Sokka obeyed.

Suki went to deliver the news to the other Kyoshi warriors. She wouldn't be returning home with them. The girls hung their heads, but reluctantly accepted their leader's decision, but on one condition: they would join the fight against Ozai, and she would return to Kyoshi island with them after the war came to an end. Tearful hugs were exchanged, and then Suki left to go and find Katara and Toph.

When she arrived at the thickly wooded spot, she started with surprise. Toph's eyes were watery, and Katara was hugging the girl. "What's wrong?" Suki demanded as she hurried towards the girls.

Toph quickly stepped away from Katara and donned a stony exterior. "Nothing," she replied harshly, and stalked off. Suki turned to Katara, who sighed.

"Remember what happened at The Serpent's pass?" Katara asked softly, and Suki's eyes widened.

"Oh."

The pair walked back to the bison in understanding silence. Toph overheard from a few feet ahead, and she furiously wiped her eyes. _Toph Bei Fong doesn't cry! I don't cry… _even so, a tear trickled down the blind girl's cheek.

Due to popular opinion, Suki is alive and remains Sokka's love interest. But, I just had to stick some Tokka in it, even if it is one sided. So, what do you think? Please drop a comment. Thanks fore reading!

**IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, THE TITLE _FIRE AND WATER_ IS BEING CHANGED TO _ECLIPSE_! THE SUMMARY WILL ALSO BE DIFFERENT, SO BE LOOKING OUT FOR THE NEW TITLE. THANKS**.


	6. Understanding

After several days of flying on Appa, tensions had begun to run high. The saddle, which had once been large enough to carry all of the passengers, was now horrendously cramped. Elbows were pushed into ribs, feet into legs… more than one argument had broken out due to the close quarters.

The first one had begun over the seating arrangements. Sokka refused to let either Katara or Suki sit by Zuko, and Toph refused to sit beside Suki, Katara, or Sokka. In the end, it was Toph who had to compromise, and was stuck sitting beside Suki. The silence between them was awkward, at best. Especially when Sokka pulled Suki close against him and slung an arm over her shoulders.

The next argument had been over the food. It had long ago been established that dry goods could be eaten while flying on Appa. However, everyone got hungry and there wasn't enough food. Sokka hadn't been about to give up his share, and Zuko refused as a matter of principle. In the end, Katara, Iroh, and Suki were forced to relinquish their dried meat so that the others could have their share.

Then came the one about sleeping arrangements. For everyone to have slept soundly, they would have to be pressed close against the person beside them and across from them. Since Zuko was seated across from Katara, Sokka had adamantly refused for that to happen. Things had gotten pretty heated then, and in the end everyone wound up sleeping in a sitting position to keep Sokka quiet.

Needless to say, the group was all too relieved to land and each member was thrilled to have their own personal space again. The second that they had landed, Sokka had run off to the bathroom. Right after Toph's feet had touched the ground, she had erected a rock camp and refused to come out. With those two indisposed, the remaining five went about setting up camp.

By nightfall, three tents were placed around a steadily growing fire, thanks to Zuko. Katara glanced around the makeshift camp, and smiled slightly to herself as she continued dicing vegetables for that night's dinner. Her stomach rumbled as she did so, and she sighed. The things she gave up for her brother…

Zuko sat on a log beside her, and smirked when he heard the noise. "Hungry?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Well, I certainly wasn't the one eating all the meat," she retorted, wiping her hands off on her dress as she dumped the vegetables into a pot of water that had been boiling over the flames.

"No. That was your brother," Zuko replied dryly.

"You ate pretty much yourself," the girl grumbled under her breath, and eyed the food that Sokka had brought back from his afternoon 'hunting.' Groundnuts, as usual. _Will the boy ever learn how to hunt for actual animals? How many nuts can a person eat?_

Katara sorted through the nuts, tossing several rocks aside with a shake of her head. "Sokka," she mumbled, a slight smile touching the corners of her lips.

"Are those even edible?" Zuko asked as he craned his neck to see what the water bender was working with. He then picked up one of the rocks that the girl had tossed aside and frowned. "He wants us to eat rocks?" he asked incredulously.

Katara pushed her braid back over her shoulder as she began cracking and peeling the ones that were actually safe to eat. "Of course he doesn't. He thought they were nuts."

"He's nuts," Zuko grumbled under his breath, and flames shot out of his calloused palms when one of the said nuts knocked him in the head. "Hey!" he exclaimed angrily.

Seemingly unfazed by the boy's bending, Katara merely raised a brow. "Oops," she replied with a grin and a shrug of her shoulders. Zuko scowled.

"Peasant," he muttered.

"Tempermental," she retorted as she crushed the nuts and then added them to the stew for flavor.

"I see you two are getting on quite amiably!" Iroh exclaimed with a grin as he crossed towards them, tealeaves and a teapot in hand. The two teenagers glanced at each other briefly before rolling their eyes. The general grinned. "It makes me very happy to see my nephew making friends."

"We're not exactly friends, uncle," Zuko replied, igniting a flame on his palm and making the fire flicker. The general raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? Then what are you?"

Katara cast a sidelong glance at Zuko before turning back to the boy's uncle. "Acquaintances."

Iroh's smile widened, and Zuko rolled his eyes at the look. He had seen that particular one every music night when his uncle had tried to deceive him into playing one of those stupid instruments. "I see," Iroh replied, and then proceeded to ladle several spoonfuls of the boiling water of the fire into his teapot.

"I'll do that for you," Katara offered, setting her cooking aside as she bended the water out of the pot over the fire and into Iroh's teapot. Then, she gave the man a genuine smile as she resumed her cooking.

"Thank you," Iroh said, and then peered over the girl's shoulder. "Are we having stew tonight?" At Katara's nod, Iroh grinned wider. "What will be in it?"

Katara wiped a hand over her forehead. "Well, since Sokka couldn't seem to catch anything, we're just having vegetables and nuts. It's Aang-friendly tonight."

Iroh chuckled, and then glanced over at Zuko. "You know, my nephew is a very skilled hunter." Zuko's eyes widened, and he shook his head vigorously at his uncle when Katara's back was towards him.

"Really?" Katara looked back at Zuko, and he glared daggers at his uncle. _I'm going to kill him._

"Yes," Iroh continued, seemingly oblivious to his nephew's displeasure. "I'm sure he would be more than willing to hunt with Sokka when the opportunity next presents himself. Right, Nephew?"

Zuko glowered. "Right," he muttered under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You'd have to talk to Sokka about it…" Katara said non-committaly. "He's not particularly fond of Zuzu here…"

"For the last time, it's Zuko!" the boy shouted, clenching his fists.

"That's what I said. Zuzu. See?"

A tendril of smoke escaped from Zuko's nostrils. "You're…you're…ugh!" he shouted, standing up and stalking off. "This isn't over, Kaya," he exclaimed over his shoulder.

"Katara!" the girl exclaimed, her wide blue eyes narrowed. Zuko didn't even bother to turn around. With a sigh of exasperation, Katara whirled around to continue the meal, only to find Iroh's amused gaze settled on her.

"Zuzu?" he asked with a slight smile, and Katara shrugged sheepishly.

"He won't call me by my real name, so I won't call him by his. Plain and simple."

Iroh shook his head, and then glanced around the camp. "Where is your brother, by the way?"

"Off with Suki somewhere," the girl replied with a shrug. She then glanced back to Toph's tent and sighed softly when she saw that the girl hadn't bothered to put down the stone walls surrounding her. _Poor Toph. _

Iroh noted the glance, and understanding filled him. He made no outward sign however, and instead re-directed Katara's attention to the food. "I know quite a bit about earth kingdom spices, if you're interested in learning," he offered, and Katara grinned.

"I'd love that."

Meanwhile, Zuko stalked away from the campsite into the woods, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. How dare that…that…peasant speak to him in such a manner? She had no right to call him names like she did; she had no right to poke fun at him and injure his pride. Did she have any idea what she was? An insignificant little girl with a bit of talent.

Zuko growled out his frustration and he hurled a ball of flame into the air in front of him. Of all names she could have called him, did it have to be _Zuzu_? That's what his sister had called him when they were children as a means of mocking him. He'd left that life…did the names that went with it really have to follow him into the new one he was beginning?

Maybe it wouldn't have made him so angry if it were only the peasant who treated him in such a way, but it wasn't. The entire group acted as though he had some sort of disease, and if they got too close they would catch it themselves.

A blast of fire exited Zuko's nostrils before he could constrain himself, and with that, all of the anger that had been simmering inside him for so long suddenly overflowed. The boy unleashed a barrage of flames at a large boulder, and continued with the arsenal until his energy was spent.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he shouted up at the sky once he was through, falling to his knees. "Agni! I've tried, all right? Nothing I do ever works! I hurt those closest to me… I'm an exile everywhere I go!" the boy's voice cracked, and then softened. "Is it too much to ask that I'll fit in somewhere? That someone will accept me… and my mistakes?"

Zuko shuddered, and then hardened again. "It is too much to ask, isn't it? I don't know what my crime was, but I'm being punished for it anyway. It wouldn't be so hard if I understood what it was that I did!" he cried, and then stared back up at the sky again.

"Why? Can you tall me that?" he shouted. With a shuddering breath and a shake of his head, he slumped down against the boulder he had released his anger on not too long before. "Why?" he asked again, his voice hoarse.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sokka woke up sometime the next morning, pleasantly aware of Suki sleeping soundly against his chest. After dinner, the pair had remained in front of the fire, and had apparently fallen asleep. The boy wondered why his sister hadn't woken him up and dragged him off to his tent, but decided that he liked the fact that she hadn't.

It was early, he noted, seeing how the white morning light barely streamed past the canopy of the trees. Sokka contemplated getting up, but just then Suki snuggled closer against him. The water tribe warrior decided then that packing up camp could wait a few more hours.

Katara found her brother and his girlfriend in front of the charred remains of the previous night's fire, curled into each other's arms. She smile wistfully, and then shook her head before stretching out. "Katara?" Aang asked, bounding his way over to the waterbender. Katara smiled at the boy and stifled a yawn.

"Hey, Aang. How long have you been up?"

Aang shrugged with a lopsided grin. "Long enough. You think Sokka would kill me if I tried to wake him up?" he asked, nodding over to the girl's brother.

Katara shook her head with a grin. "If he doesn't, Suki will."

"Sokka's and my tent is packed up. Want me to help you with yours and Suki's?" the Avatar asked, grimacing when he watched Momo eat a bug with relish. Katara followed the boy's glance and giggled.

"That would be great, thanks." She replied. The pair then returned to Katara's tent, where they rolled the blankets tightly and then stuck them in a remotely clean place before they returned to take down the tent.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Aang asked, and Katara frowned.

"What is? A lot of things have been weird recently."

Aang grinned and nodded in agreement. "I was actually talking about the sleeping arrangements. I've gotten used to it being just you, Sokka, and me you know? Now it's just Sokka and me. It's kind of…" Aang shrugged, not wanting to repeat the word 'weird' again.

"I know what you mean," Katara agreed with a smile. "Of course, I've had a tent pretty much to myself since we made camp since Suki's been off with Sokka half the night."

"Suki comes back late too? " Aang asked, his eyes widening. Katara smiled slightly to herself as she rolled up the tarp, tying it snugly together with leather thongs. "I thought it was only Sokka. I wonder what they're doing out there."

Katara sighed softly. "The campsite really isn't the best place for privacy," she replied with a shrug, and Aang rolled his eyes.

"Yuck."

Katara laughed and swatted Aang on the arm. "I'll have you know that mushy stuff isn't all bad." She then chewed on her lip and hefted the now rolled tent over her shoulder. "But I know how you feel about that kind of thing."

Aang blushed. "You do?" he demanded, humiliated.

"Of course. You were the one who told me you'd only kiss me if it came down to that or dying," Katara teased the boy gently, and Aang let out a deep sigh of relief. He was more than grateful that all she had thought of was the statement he'd made in the Cave of Two Lovers.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Aang protested as Katara turned and went to load the tent, tarp, and blankets on Appa. Aang sighed and smacked his forehead. "I'm never going to get anywhere with her," he muttered miserably, kicking a pebble. _I can't get anywhere with her,_ he reminded himself.

"Cheer up, Twinkle Toes," Toph said as she knocked down the walls of her rock cave, pointedly avoiding looking in Sokka and Suki's direction. "If Sugar Queen's into the whole mushy-gushy thing, there's only four guys in our group. One's her brother, and that would be…nasty. Iroh's too old, so it's pretty much between you and Scarface."

She punched Aang's shoulder in an attempt to be friendly, and Aang yelped, sure a bruise was already rising to the surface. "You don't have much to worry about there," Toph continued, heading over to Appa.

"How did you know?" Aang demanded, blushing furiously.

"Please, Twinkle Toes. I'm blind, but I'm not that blind," Toph called out over her shoulder, and Aang cringed. If Toph knew than Katara… Aang blanched. _No! She can't know. That would… that would ruin everything!_

Suki stirred in her sleep, and glanced up to see Aang with a pained expression on his face. _It is way too early for this,_ Suki thought to herself, snuggling back into her pillow. It took her less than a heartbeat that it was Sokka she was sleeping on, and not one of the blankets in her tent. A quick glance around served to show her that the tents were already packed. _I guess it isn't as early as I thought it was._

"Hey, Aang," Suki mumbled as she stood up, and the boy jumped. He then grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Morning, Suki," he replied, and Suki managed a decent smile.

"Is everyone awake already?" Suki asked, glancing around the camp. The fire pit was now covered with dirt, and she noticed with dismay that there was hardly a trace of a campsite left.

"Yeah. Iroh and Zuko packed most of the stuff up earlier this morning. Katara, Toph, and Iroh are over by Appa now… I'm not really sure where Zuko is," Aang said. "You should probably wake Sokka up," he added as he turned to move towards Appa.

Aang watched out of the corner of his eye as Suki leaned forward and poked Sokka hard in the middle of his chest. The boy muttered incoherently before glaring up at the girl. Suki merely smiled in response and kissed his cheek. Aang frowned as Sokka's scowl fell, and he grudgingly pulled himself to his feet.

_It isn't fair, _Aang thought to himself. _Why is Sokka allowed to be in love and I'm not? Why does being the Avatar have to be so difficult?_ Aang took a deep breath, feeling his fourth charka begin to cloud over. "We need to go to the Eastern Air Temple!" Aang announced, rushing towards Appa.

Katara turned around and frowned. "I thought you already went to see the guru," she said, and Aang flushed slightly beneath her scrutiny.

"I did, but…" he paused, and his gaze flickered over to Iroh. "I didn't finish what I had to do. That's why I… I failed in Ba Seng Se."

Iroh nodded solemnly, but Katara's frown deepened. "You didn't fail Aang," she said softly, and Aang met her gaze with stormy eyes. "You didn't."

"I did. I wouldn't give y… something up that I had to in order to achieve the Avatar State. And you nearly died because of that. All of us nearly did. I'm not going to let that happen again."

"Why didn't you give it up?" Katara probed, aware of the pain in the boy's voice but oblivious to its source.

Aang's eyes never left hers. "Because it was too important to me," he replied, his voice horribly serious. His gaze then dropped to his feet, and Katara sighed softly.

"I wish you'd let me help you."

Aang shook his head. "You can't." He then turned to Appa. "Well, boy! Looks like we're going to live off of banana and onion soup for a while," he said, forcing levity into his voice. His tone fooled everyone but Toph. The blind girl merely shook her head.

"Where is my nephew?" Iroh wondered aloud, and Sokka cringed from where he was yanking on his boots. Aang underwent a similar reaction, and Iroh pretended that he hadn't seen either of the boy's discomfort.

"I felt him head off in the direction of the creek earlier this morning," Toph offered, and Iroh frowned.

"What would he be doing there? Certainly not bathing just before we get on the Bison… and I know he wouldn't be searching for tea leaves…" Iroh mumbled to himself. Katara stifled a giggle, and Toph's eyebrows knit together.

"Tea," the blind girl muttered under her breath, and Katara let out a most unladylike snort before blushing and covering her mouth with her hands.

"Are you quite alright, Katara?" Iroh asked, completely missing the source of the girl's amusement. Katara compressed her lips and nodded mutely.

"Are we going already?" Sokka asked, hefting himself up onto Appa's saddle.

"We have to wait for Zuko," Katara replied, and Sokka groaned.

"Can't we just leave him behind?" he whined, and Suki threw one of her fans at his shoulder. "Hey! Suki! That hurt!" Sokka exclaimed, rubbing the sore shoulder.

"Some warrior," Katara mumbled under her breath to Suki, and the two girls giggled. Sokka scowled, and steadfastly looked in the other direction. The pair laughed again. Toph groaned and stomped the earth beneath her feet.

"Stupid girls," she muttered under her breath, and Momo flew and landed on her shoulder. "Momo, off." She said gruffly, and the lemur chirped out his displeasure before he flew towards Sokka. Sokka grimaced, and looked down to Aang.

"Much as I love your flying pet, would you get him away from me?" Momo chirped indignantly, and then flew to the ground before Appa's head. Once landed, the lemur chattered angrily, waving his little arms in the air. Appa growled sympathetically in response.

"Nephew! There you are!" Iroh cried out, drawing the group's attention over to the boy. "It is about time you arrived. We were getting worried."

Sokka snorted, and Aang buried his head in Appa's fur. Iroh stood oblivious, a wide smile pasted across his face. "I'm sure you were," Zuko replied, his gaze flickering over the two boys before landing back on his uncle.

"What were you doing out there?" Iroh asked his nephew, and Zuko shrugged.

"I was hungry last flight. I wanted to make sure I'd have enough food this time," he replied simply, motioning to the bag that was slung over his shoulder. Sokka instantly perked up.

"Food?" he asked with a slight smile, and Katara sighed softly. Zuko gave a brusque nod as he climbed his way up to Appa's back.

"Food." Zuko replied simply. Ignoring his prejudices for once, Sokka offered a hand up to the teenager and drew the firebender into the saddle. Zuko waved the Water Tribe warrior off when he tried to open the bag. "We eat when we eat," Zuko merely said and sat down. Sokka sat beside him, his eyes on the food.

"Looks like we've lost him," Suki whispered, and Katara's expression was one of annoyance and amusement.

"This is Sokka we're talking about. And food. Sokka goes wherever the food goes," Katara replied with a slight smile, and then she too climbed her way up to Appa's saddle. Suki followed shortly, and then the two girls leaned down to give Toph a hand up.

Toph could see so long as her feet were planted firmly on the ground, but the second she gripped Appa's fur and hefted herself up she was completely blind. The fear of the total blackness that consumed her was enough to make her accept the girls' help.

Once Iroh made his way aboard, things grew as cramped as they had been a day previous. Toph groaned, and elbowed Suki in the ribs. "Give me some room, will ya, Fan Girl?" Toph demanded, and Suki glared at her.

"Nowhere to go!" Suki reminded her, shoving the blind girl right back.

"Calm down," Katara rebuked the pair, leaning over Toph to put her hands between the two.

"Get off of me, Sugar Queen!" Toph demanded, slapping the girl's forearm.

"I'm not even touching you!" Katara retorted hotly.

"Yes you are! Now get away from me!" Toph shouted, flailing her arms blindly and striking Katara's cheek.

"Toph!" Suki exclaimed, leaning over the blind girl to peer at Katara's face. "Are you alright?" Suki asked, ignoring Toph's protests to get out of her personal space.

"Be quiet!" Aang shouted from his seat on Appa, and the three girls fell silent, Katara's cheeks burning with shame. "Come on, guys. We've been on Appa for only a few minutes. Isn't there some way that you could get along?"

Sokka quickly grabbed Suki and yanked her onto his lap. "There. You have room. Problem solved," he said simply before returning his vigil on Zuko's bag of food. Suki groaned in response.

"I'll come sit with you, Aang," Katara offered, rising from her seat to make some more room in the saddle.

"No!" Aang replied quickly, and Katara froze, hurt and surprise flashing across her face. Aang blushed, and then glanced away. "No thanks," Aang replied softly, and Katara frowned.

"But Aang…"

"I need some time to be by myself," Aang insisted, and Katara gave a short nod before sitting down quickly. Silence descended over the group assembled. Aang wasn't known to refuse company, especially when the person involved was Katara.

Sokka was the one to finally break the silence. "So… what's in that bag?" he asked. Then, his eyes began to shine. "Meat?"

Everyone groaned.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The guru had been waiting for him. At least, that was what the dark skinned man with a long white

beard told the Avatar when the boy had arrived back at the Eastern air temple. Then, the old man's gaze flicked over to Katara, and then he nodded briefly at Aang. The pair then disappeared.

Katara had watched them go with worry etched into her face. She had never seen Aang so down before; not even when she had been injured. There was something about him as he walked that frightened her, and when he turned to look back at her, Katara's breath had hitched in her throat. The look that he was giving her was one that said goodbye.

She now sat on the cool stone floor of one of the largest temple rooms, picking at the food on her plate. _What is going on with him? He couldn't meet my eyes the entire trip; he wouldn't talk to me when we were alone…_ Katara absently pushed rice around with her chopsticks. _He's going through something. Why won't he let me help him?_

"Is something up?" Sokka asked, peering over his sister's shoulder at the relatively untouched food.

"Hm?" Katara replied, jerking her attention back to the meal and the group that she was sitting amongst.

"You're not eating."

Katara shrugged slightly and glanced back down at her plate. "I'm not hungry," she said softly, and Toph stared at her with her sightless eyes.

"Oh," Sokka replied, and then grinned. "Can I finish it?"

Suki rolled her eyes. "You ate all of dinner, stole some of Momo's…"

"He's a lemur Suki," Sokka interrupted, but Suki ignored him.

"…Finished all of the rice left in the pot…"

"There wasn't that much!" Sokka protested.

"…Ate a good deal of the dried meat, and now you're asking for Katara's dinner? How could you possibly be hungry?" Suki finished, staring wide eyed at the water tribe warrior.

"I'm a simple man with simple needs," Sokka replied with a shrug and Toph crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not much of a man," the blind girl muttered under her breath, and Sokka whirled to pin a glare on her. Zuko snorted under his breath, and then the Water Tribe Warrior glowered at the firebender.

"Got something to say, Flame Boy?" he demanded, scowling.

"Nothing you want to hear, Pony Tail," he retorted.

Sokka fumed. "I'll have you know that this is a warrior's wolf tail!" he exclaimed, waving his arms for emphasis before pointing at the tuft of hair at the base of his crown.

Zuko raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. The teenager returned his attention to his dinner, watching the group from beneath lowered eyes. Sokka and Suki were quite obviously an item, though why the boy would never know. Sokka was rude, loud, and boastful, but Suki carried a quiet strength. Toph was continually sarcastic, and more often then not he had born the brunt of her cutting remarks. Katara, though ever forgiving and maternal had a temper that could rival a firebender. _They're all so different. How, by Agni, do they keep from killing each other?_

He ate another mouthful of rice, and then glanced over the group again. Sokka was busy devouring his sister's meal while Suki shook her head in exasperation. Toph shook her head with disgust. Only Katara seemed to be apart from the antics, her eyes clouded and staring off into space.

Oblivious to Zuko's gaze, Katara sat, thinking. _Did I say something to hurt Aang's feelings? Is he mad at me for getting captured? Is he upset that we stayed for so long to take care of the Kyoshi warriors?_ She frowned slightly, and then shook her head.

_This is pointless,_ she thought impatiently and rose to her feet before stifling a yawn. Sokka glanced over his shoulder at his sister, and then frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a walk," Katara replied softly, and Sokka began to rise to his feet as well.

"I'll go with you," he offered, his hand hovering over his boomerang. His father had charged him to protect his sister, and By La, he wasn't about to let her wander off on her own. Especially when they had the crazy Fire Nation Princess tailing them.

Suki saw the flash of disappointment across Katara's face, and she pulled Sokka down before he had the chance to stand up. "Let the girl have some time to herself," she encouraged, slipping her hand into his own. The water tribe boy glanced from his sister, to his girlfriend, and then back again.

"Will you be okay?" he asked, his frown deepening further.

Katara smiled gently to reassure the boy. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," she replied before turning her back to the welcoming fire and her friends and exiting into the dark of the night. As her footsteps tread softly away, Zuko took another bite of his rice.

Much as he hated to admit it, he was worried about the Water Tribe peasant. In the short time he'd traveled with her, he'd never seen her quite so depressed or distracted. Once she was gone, and Sokka was otherwise occupied, the boy turned to his uncle.

"I'll be right back." He said softly before rising to his feet.

Iroh nodded with the slightest of smiles, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. He watched his nephew walk away before returning to his food, only to sigh mournfully when he saw that his bowl was empty. He then glanced over at his nephew's bowl, and frowned. _Should I leave it for him? _He bit his lip, and then eagerly took the dish into his hands. _Zuko won't want it anyway._

Katara sat on the ledge of the precipice, staring up at the stars. Zuko stood in the shadows behind the girl, observing her through golden eyes. He watched as she heaved out sigh and twirled her braid around her fingers; watched as a small, copper colored hand gripped the pendant around her neck tightly.

"I know you're there," the girl said after a length of time, never taking her eyes off of the stars. Zuko jumped slightly at being caught before quickly regaining his composure. Instead of asking how she knew of his presence, the boy crossed the distance between them and sat down beside her.

After several moments of tense silence, Katara finally wrenched her gaze from the stars and turned her eyes upon Zuko. For once there was no fire in her gaze, only weariness. "What do you want Zuko?"

There it was- his name. No Zuzu, no anger. Just Zuko. For some reason, that didn't make the boy quite as happy as he'd thought it would. "What do you want?" he replied in turn, and a slight smile touched the corners of Katara's mouth.

"Good question," she replied softly, looking back up at the sky. _What do I want? Do I really want to continue with this war; with all of this fighting? Do I really want to go back to the South Pole where no one lives and I'm worth nothing just because I'm a woman?_ Katara sighed. _I have to pull through the war… and I'll be needed back home. It doesn't really matter what I want, does it?_

"Something's bothering you," Zuko said after some time, and Katara turned to face him with some surprise.

"And you're actually concerned about this?" she asked, disbelief tinting her tone.

Zuko winced inwardly, but gave no outward sign to show that her words had stung. "I'm curious," he replied with a slight shrug, and Katara glanced away again. For a while, Zuko thought that the girl wasn't going to answer.

"A lot of things are bothering me," Katara replied after a time, and Zuko had to hide his surprise that she'd said anything at all. "Aang, mostly," she clarified after a while. Zuko said nothing, and a tense silence descended on the pair again.

"He's my best friend. He's always told me everything. His nightmares… everything. Now, he won't let me help him. And when he looked at me when the Guru came…" Katara trailed off, closing her eyes. "His look scared me," she finished.

There was silence again. It seemed that whenever the two were near each other, there were either arguments or awkward pauses. "What else?" Zuko asked after a time, and Katara frowned.

"What?"

"You said that a lot of things were bothering you. The Avatar is only one of them," Zuko clarified, not quite meeting the girl's gaze.

"Toph too," Katara admitted. "She has…feelings for someone who is in love with somebody else. It's hard to watch her suffer like that. She feels betrayed and… there's no worse feeling than being betrayed by someone you love," she finished the last part softly, hardly above a whisper.

"Who was he?" Zuko probed, and a glint of fire returned to Katara's eyes.

"That's Toph's personal business. I shouldn't have mentioned her at all," Katara muttered, whipping her head away from Zuko, feeling the familiar anger at him rise up again. _He probably doesn't even care that…_

"Not Toph. You."

Katara frowned, and turned back to him. "What are you talking about?"

The corner of Zuko's mouth turned upwards slightly. "Who was the guy that betrayed you?"

Katara's blue eyes widened, and then glistened slightly. Quickly, she snapped her gaze away from the firebender beside her, and stared up at the sky again, her heart hammering in her chest. _Jet._ Why did he have to go and hurt her like that? _Why did he have to die?_

Zuko bit his lip at the distress he had caused Katara, and he reached over to her. His hand hovered near hers for a moment before he balled it into a fist and drew it back to his side. "For what its worth… I know what that feels like too," Zuko admitted softly.

The silence that fell over the pair was no longer as tense as it had been previously. Rather, the quiet spoke the words that the teenagers didn't dare to utter. It was the beginning of an understanding.


	7. Forgiveness

"Well?" An impatient call came from below, and with a flurry of pink, a head popped out from the thick canopy of branches.

"Mai's on the road back," Ty Lee announced before her head disappeared into the foliage again. A second later, the acrobat leaped down from her perch in the branches beside Azula.

"It took her long enough," the princess muttered, running long, elegant fingernails through her coal black bangs. Ty Lee frowned slightly in response.

"Mai wasn't gone that long," the young acrobat insisted with a grin. The smile melted away when Azula turned to her with a scowl on her face. "Maybe I was wrong," Ty Lee said quickly, with a little shrug of her shoulders and a slight widening of her eyes to appear innocent.

Azula made a noise at the back of her throat as she resumed toying with her bangs. Ty Lee bit her lip slightly as she began to pat the large, scaly head of her fire lizard which had been tethered to the tree when Mai had been sent to scout ahead. The animal made a slight purr in satisfaction, but for once Ty Lee's attention wasn't focused on the beast. Rather, she found her mind diverted to Azula.

Ever since they had been children, Azula had to have her way. She always had to be the best fighter; the best acrobat; the winner of all of their childhood games. The one and only time Ty Lee had complained, her father had smacked her. Then, he reminded her that there was Air Nomad blood running through her veins due to her grandmother on her mother's side. He had informed her in certain terms that the Princess Azula was both a firebender and pureblood Fire Nation. Ty Lee was inferior, and had to do whatever it was that the princess wanted. She had never complained again.

And even though she occasionally resented Azula's constant bullying, Ty Lee had never thought her to be cruel. Manipulative, yes; spoiled definitely, but not cruel. The princess was her friend, after all. And friends stuck by each other, no matter how they act. Also, it had often been amusing to be around Azula when they were young…especially when her brother was around.

Ever since Ty Lee could remember, Mai had a crush on Azula's older brother, even though the boy had said on more than one occasion that the poor girl was creepy. Azula often took advantage of Mai's feelings, and it had been ever so funny to watch the pair of them blush over some situation or other that Azula had forced them into. Ty Lee had never seen that as being mean. Not even when she pushed the pair into a fountain and taunted them.

It wasn't until Zuko's Agni Kai that she had been confronted with that side of her friend's nature. Ty Lee had always known that Azula disliked her brother. Ty Lee had assumed that it was because Zuko was the heir apparent, and Azula believed that she was the one who deserved that title. Young though she was, after Zuko's banishment, Ty Lee had begun to seriously doubt that assessment.

When the girls had learned that a fire duel would occur, Azula had wheedled her way into going, even though it was tradition for only a man of the court to watch. That in itself wasn't surprising. Somehow, the princess always managed to find a way to get around the rules. So, Azula had rushed off, leaving Mai and Ty Lee behind.

When she returned to the garden several hours later, her eyes were shining and she was grinning. Ty Lee initially thought it was just because she had watched a good fight. After all, Azula got as excited over duels as she did over circuses. But then, she told them what happened.

Ty Lee knew that she would never forget the look on Mai's face when their friend told them over her brother's pitiful performance and his subsequent banishment. Azula had seen it too, but she offered no sympathy. Rather, she had mocked the poor girl while grinning. It wasn't natural for her to be so happy over her brother's pain. For the first time, and certainly not the last, Ty Lee doubted her friend's sanity.

Shortly after the incident, Azula dedicated all of her time to perfect her firebending, seeing Ty Lee and Mai on only rare occasions. About a year after the fact, Mai's father had been shipped to the Earth Kingdom to command the Fire Nation army, and had taken his daughter and pregnant wife with him. A month or so after Mai's departure, Ty Lee ran away to join the circus where she could put her natural talent to good use.

Now, three years later, the friends were all back together again. Ty lee frowned slightly as she scratched her Fire Lizard's eye ridges. She had done horrible things under Azula. She had overthrown a king, watched countless executions, and had killed many of the Kyoshi Warriors. She still had nightmares over some of the actions that she had done and seen. Ty Lee cast a sidelong glance at Azula. She wouldn't leave, though. She wouldn't run back to the circus as much as she wanted to. Azula was her friend, and friends stick by each other, no matter what. Ty Lee chewed on her lip, and her eyes lowered. _Well… Don't they?_

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When Aang emerged from the temple, it was as though a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Toph smiled slightly to herself as she felt his vibrations. They were lighter than they'd been in days. "So, what happened with the Guru guy?" she asked as she pushed herself to her feet.

Katara rushed pass her and by Twinkle Toes' racing heartbeat, Toph guessed that the water bender had given him a hug. Aang shrugged slightly in response to Toph's question, and tried to smother the heat that had risen to his cheeks when Katara had embraced him.

"Well?" Toph demanded, tapping her foot impatiently. Aang belatedly remembered that she couldn't see his shrug or gestures, and he grinned with embarrassment.

"Pahtik helped me realize a few things is all," he said, quickly stepping away from the waterbender's embrace.

"Well I for one am really glad," Katara exclaimed, patting Aang's shoulder. "You scared me for a while there," she admitted with a smile, and somewhere in the background, Sokka made a gagging noise.

"Enough with the mushy stuff!" the water tribe warrior exclaimed, standing up from his seat by the fire and wiping his hands on his pants. "Can we please get back to business?"

"Which is?" Suki prompted, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Bashing in the heads of as many firebenders as possible, remember?" he exclaimed indignantly, waving his arms for emphasis. Katara raised a brow, and met Suki's gaze. The two girls shook their heads.

"That sounds appealing," Iroh remarked dryly as he poured himself a cup of tea, casting an amused glance in the teenager's direction.

"I think it sounds great!" Sokka exclaimed with a grin as he punched his fist up into the air.

"Dummer than a rock," Zuko muttered under his breath, forcefully pushing the teapot away from him when his Uncle tried to pour him yet another pot.

Sokka glared at the firebender, and crossed his arms over his chest. "What did you say?" he demanded hotly, his previous excitement forgotten. Suki placed a hand on her forehead, and Toph grunted with amusement. This should be interesting.

Zuko smirked, and set about rolling up his bedroll. Sokka's face went red. "When I ask you something, Scarface, you'll answer me!" Sokka shouted.

Aang winced. "Sokka…" he attempted to warn him, and Toph sent a barrage of rocks in the airbender's direction.

"Quiet, Twinkle Toes!" she exclaimed, and then redoubled her attention on the vibrations. "This is just starting to get good."

Zuko stiffened at the insult, and he pushed himself to his feet, pushing his uncle away when the man tried to keep him in check. "What did you call me?" he demanded, and Sokka grinned slightly.

"Scar Face," he replied, enunciating each syllable carefully before again saying, "Scarface!"

Zuko's fist ignited into a fireball as he lunged at the boy. "That's the last time you ever call me that, Peasant!" he shouted, hurling the fire towards him. Sokka ducked before the bolt made contact, and withdrew his boomerang with a fierce smile.

"Toph…I really think we should…," Aang began, and Toph pointed her finger at him while still facing the opposite direction.

"Shut it, Twinkle Toes! You're distracting me from their vibrations!" the girl snapped.

Aang turned to Suki helplessly. "He's _your_ boyfriend…" he started, and Suki flushed slightly as she pulled at the edge of her torn robe.

"Not really…" she started, and then stopped herself as she looked over at the boy in question. He and Zuko were fighting it out, shouting insults at each other as they did so. "Besides, he's had it coming," she finished. "And a warrior never involves herself in another's battle unless they request assistance."

Aang groaned, and turned to Katara. Before he could even ask, she shook her head slightly. "Let's see how far they take this," she replied to his unspoken question with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "At least Zuko's not using his bending anymore."

The boomerang and broadswords clashed together, and Aang winced. Zuko shifted stances and attacked again and again, his blades never actually making contact with Sokka's body. Sokka, however, was showing little to no restraint, and was aiming to kill. When he slashed Zuko's arm, the firebender stared up at the boy with smoldering eyes. Then he shouted a phrase that made Katara blush, Aang cringe, and Toph laugh.

"Zuko! There are ladies present!" Iroh rebuked his nephew harshly. The boy waved off his uncle's scolding just as Sokka screamed an equally heinous response."

Katara blanched at the words her brother used, and Suki shook her head with widened eyes.

"You tell 'em, Meathead!" Toph cheered from the sidelines, and Katara stared at the girl with wide eyes before shaking her head.

"Dear La," she murmured, pressing her fingertips to her now aching temples. Iroh seemed to be having a similar reaction.

"I need some tea," he mumbled before shuffling back to the teapot.

Sokka, meanwhile, was too busy facing the prince down to notice the reactions of his companions. "Nobody wants you around, you know that?" he said as he lunged at the boy. Zuko's eyes narrowed, and he quickly parried Sokka's attacks. "Not even your own father!" he shouted, and Iroh stiffened.

Zuko paused in his attacks long enough to feel the boiling in his blood. He dropped his broadswords, and flame daggers appeared in his hands. "At least my father's still alive!" he shouted with equal violence as he hurled the daggers at the Water Tribe boy.

They never hit their mark. Katara quickly bended some water from her pouch and wrapped them around the daggers, causing them to evaporate into steam. "Enough! Both of you!" she shouted from the sidelines, marching over to where the pair were staring at each other malevolently.

The waterbender stood between them, and found that she had to stand on tip toe to meet the pair in the eyes. "You," she exclaimed poking Sokka's chest, "carried that way too far. There are just some things that you don't insult someone about."

She then whirled around to face Zuko and shoved his chest just as she had her brothers. "And you! You nearly burned him!"

"Well, he cut me!" Zuko retorted, and Katara's eyes darkened.

"Ever heard of turn the other cheek? It's what keeps us out of war!" the girl shouted at the firebender, whose eyes narrowed.

"That is so like Sweetness," Toph muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "She always ruins all of our fun," she remarked to Aang, who was immensely relieved that the fighting had stopped. He quirked an eyebrow at the girl and then shook his head. Girls were a mystery, but Toph… she was way more than that. She was, well…Toph.

"Now, go sit down!" she ordered Zuko, who crossed his arms over his chest. Katara tapped her foot impatiently. "I said sit!"

"And I say that I don't take orders." Eyes narrowing, Katara grabbed the prince with surprising strength, and forced him onto the ground. Iroh chuckled softly, and Zuko threw a glare at him as he went to stand. Katara, however, threw all of her strength into pushing the boy back down.

"Sokka, get me some water," Katara ordered, and her brother did as she bade him with a great deal of muttering. He tossed the pouch at Katara's head, and the girl caught it with one hand; the ease with which she did so peeved her brother to no end. Ignoring her brother's tantrum, Katara covered her hand with a water glove, and quickly healed the wound on Zuko's arm.

Sokka hovered over her shoulder, and pinned a glare on Zuko. "For your information, our father is alive," he said hotly, and Zuko looked away. The boy pushed Katara away from him and stood up slowly.

"Azula found out about chameleon bay. She deployed the fire nation navy to attack the water tribe about a week ago. They should be there right about now," Zuko replied softly, returning to his bedroll.

Sokka's mouth dropped open, and silence descended over the camp. "He's telling the truth," Toph said, and Katara took a hitched breath.

"You knew about this?" she demanded angrily, whirling around to face the boy. "You knew and you didn't tell us?" she demanded, and Zuko looked away. "You…you…" finding words insufficient, she slapped him hard with a water whip.

"I…" Zuko started, and Katara's brow furrowed as she glared at him.

"Looks like we know where to go from here," Aang interrupted before another fight could break out. "Come on; we have to hurry." The boy quickly began to pack up camp and load supplies onto Appa's back. The rest of the gang quickly followed suit, excepting for Zuko and Katara. The two stood, staring hard at each other.

"Katara, I honestly…" he began but stopped himself. He wouldn't apologize. He was prince, after all. Sokka growled at the back of his throat and grabbed his sister's arm.

"Come on, Kata. The sooner we pack, the sooner we get to Dad," he said in what he hoped was a soothing manner as he glared stonily at the banished fire nation prince. Katara wrenched her gaze away from Zuko's and quickly followed her brother.

Zuko turned to help his uncle, who sighed slightly with disappointment. "Nephew…"

"I know, Uncle. I know."

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Hakoda felt his stomach lurch slightly as the look out drums sounded over the waters of Chameleon Bay. The Fire Nation fleet was approaching, and judging by the drums' tempo, they were coming fast. "Bato!" Hakoda called out, but found that his second in command was standing just behind him. Hakoda's lips quirked upwards slightly. He'd always know he had chosen the right man for the job.

"How many do you think there are?" Bato asked, his voice hard as he mentally prepared himself for the battle.

"I'm not sure." Hakoda replied truthfully, and then sighed. "We'd best prepare for the worse." Bato nodded shortly in response, and Hakoda whirled around to face the other men of his tribe. "Dalit, Douglas, and Beno, prepare the ammunition!" Hakoda ordered, and the men scurried off to do as they were bid.

"Nen and Shui, retrieve the weapons from the tent! The rest of you men, prepare the boats!" Hakoda barked, and the remainder of the group rushed over to the small, wooden Water Tribe vessels.

"What are we going to do?" Bato asked lowly, and Hakoda glanced around to be sure that they wouldn't be overheard.

"Sink as many of their ships as possible. Then at least we'll have made some impact in the war." Hakoda was no fool. He knew that just one of the Fire Nation ships were equivalent to three of his own vessels, and had twenty times more ammunition to boot. Not to mention the technology that the Fire Nation seemed to be developing so quickly.

Bato took a steadying breath, and then nodded grimly. "Will we be making use of your stink bombs?" he asked a slight smile curving at the corners of his mouth.

Hakoda allotted himself a small smile of his own. "Most definitely."

"What's the strategy?" Bato asked as he watched the men load ammunition onto the boats. They had a lot, but not enough. If only they'd had more time…

"My ship will charge ahead with the stink bombs while Dalit's will cover my tail with the cannons. You and Shui's ships will employ the same strategy that we're using. Calder will lead one or more of the Fire Nation vessels beneath that ledge there," Hakoda continued pointing. "Beno will lead the young men up that side of the cliff, where he and his team will throw bombs down on the Fire Nation Vessel that Calder lured away from the pack."

Bato frowned slightly. "You're keeping him out of harm's way," he said shrewdly, and Hakoda raised a brow. "Are you doing that because you think he's incapable or because he's my son?"

"I'm keeping him hidden because he's young. His life doesn't need to be over just yet," Hakoda replied, and Bato nodded slightly. "Besides, he's the only boy I approve of for my daughter to marry."

"They might not be so keen on the idea," Bato noted, a wry smile touching his features.

"I know they won't. But he's still the only one I approve of," Hakoda insisted stubbornly, and Bato shook his head slightly. Sokka had inherited all of his father's pig-headedness.

"Hakoda, the ammunition is loaded on the ships, except for Beno's bombs. He told me you wanted to keep those separate," Dalit informed the leader as he ran up behind the two men.

"He's a good man to be listening to his elders," Hakoda complimented loud enough do that the boy would be able to hear him, and Beno's chest puffed out slightly with pride. Hakoda then looked directly at the boy. "Beno, gather your men and hurry up to the cliff," Hakoda ordered, and Beno nodded quickly.

Bato watched his son with a heavy heart as he ran about his duties. The little boy of yesteryear was now a memory tucked into his father's pocket. His son had become a man. Pride swelled through Bato as he stared at his son. As though sensing his father's gaze, Beno turned and tossed the man a smile. Bato managed a decent smile in return.

"Dalit, Shui, Calder!" Hakoda exclaimed, cutting into his friend's moment with the boy. "Do as we discussed previously!" The men hurried to their respective vessels, calling for their crews to hustle.

"Show time," Hakoda remarked to Bato, who gave his long-time friend a grim smile.

"Yeah," he replied, chasing away all fear from his spirit. If he died today, he died with honor.

"If I don't make it, tell my children that I love them," Hakoda said softly, gripping Bato's shoulders. Bato nodded.

"Same for me," the man replied in response. Hakoda gave him one last smile, slapped his shoulders, and turned to his ship. With a slight sigh and one last glance in the direction his son and the other young men had scurried away to, Bato also made his way to his own vessel.

The wind was with their sails, and the seas were calm. It was a good enough beginning for their last battle, Hakoda thought to himself as he carefully inspected the ammunition on board. Bato's ship was sailing a good two hundred feet beside his, the bows even to one another. Hakoda took a deep breath and readied his boomerang, preparing for the inevitable fight to come.

The world was still, as though as though taking its last breath before the inevitable plunge into warfare. For a moment, the horizon was as clear as it had been all morning, but the Hakoda saw them. The billowing clouds of black smoke rolled up into the air, signifying the Fire Nation's approach.

"Ready men," Hakoda shouted to his crew, who all bore faces of fierce determination. Hakoda smiled grimly. His men were warriors. None of them would back down from the fight.

The columns of smoke came closer, so that Hakoda could make out the shape of the ships. They came closer and closer still, until… "Now!" Hakoda shouted as he was able to make out the first blurry human form. The stink bombs were catapulted overboard to the Fire Nation vessels. Moments later, the enemy retaliated with fire.

Hakoda cursed as his sail went up in flames, and Dalit unloaded a barrage of cannon balls. A quick glance over at Bato's ship revealed that his friend was carrying on just fine. "Luka! Put that fire out!" Hakoda ordered. The man scrambled to do as he was bid, removing his shirt as he came in contact with the blaze. The man cut the sails loose, and then threw them into the sea.

Another bolt of flame headed straight towards them, and this one hit the bow of the ship. The inferno soon began to consume the wood of the ship, and Dalit's vessel pulled up directly beside him. "Quickly! Fire the remains of your weaponry at the enemy. Then jump ship!" Hakoda ordered.

Most of the bombs landed their mark, and a man names Koder's bomb apparently hit one of the engine rooms in the closest of the Fire Nation ships. A loud boom issued forth, coupled by a powerful blast of black smoke and white heat. Then another boom sounded, and another, and within a matter of seconds the enemy ship was ablaze.

The Water Tribe Warriors let out a whoop of victory, and one by one Hakoda's men escaped the blazing furnace by jumping over onto Dalit's vessel. Not until the last of his men was overboard did Hakoda join them. Once on safe ground, Hakoda quickly surveyed his surroundings. Calder had done his job well, and had lured one of the enemy ships just below the high precipice that Beno laid above.

Bato's ship had undergone a significant amount of damage; the sails were charred and a large hole had been blown into the side of the deck. The enemy cannons fired, one of the balls striking Dalit's ship broadside. Hakoda hung onto the mast to avoid from falling over as the ship shuddered and groaned with the impact.

A fireball whizzed past them and landed directly in the middle of Shui's ships, and the screams alerted Hakoda to the fact that more than one of the warriors had been set ablaze. His heart thumped wildly and his blood rushed in his ears as he swallowed convulsively. "Fire!" he ordered, thrusting his boomerang high into the air.

The men aboard his ship quickly complied, and another chain reaction took place on an enemy ship. Even so, another pulled up into the sinking one's place. Hakoda felt his breath come heavily. They were outnumbered, their sails were destroyed, and a ship full of men was burning to death. Hakoda realized grimly that this was the end.

Another fireball was thrown their way, and Hakoda knew without a doubt that it would hit its target. "Fire men!" he exclaimed, determined to take out one last ship before he left. The blaze hurtled towards them, and he stood strong. He would die a warrior.

Just then, a swirling vortex appeared in the water, and a large wave rushed up suddenly, evaporating the ball of flame. Hakoda felt his heart skip a beat as he stared up in awe at the towering wave, and then watched as it rushed forward and capsized the ship that had nearly decimated his own.

"Papu!" a voice cried from above, and Hakoda looked up to see a suspiciously familiar flying bison directly overhead.

"Katara!" Hakoda called back with a grin, and then he hardened himself. "Get out of here Katara. This is no place for a little girl!" he shouted upwards, but the bison continued its descent. "I mean it young lady," Hakoda shouted, looking desperately over to the enemy ships and back again. "Katara!"

Just then, a girl leaped over the side of the bison and she rushed to stand next to him. For a brief instant, Hakoda almost believed that it was his wife that he saw, but then he shook his head to clear it of such delusions. My, how his daughter had grown. But this was no time for reunions.

"I told you to get away."

"And I'm telling you that I'm not going," the girl retorted stubbornly, and another fireball headed their way. "Aang!" Katara called out, and the boy aboard the bison grinned as he opened his air glider and dove towards the ball. With a loud smack and a whoosh of air, the flame landed harmlessly into the ocean.

"Katara, I'm warning you…"

"Give it a rest Dad," Sokka exclaimed as he jumped over the side of the bison as well, and landed in a crouch. "This girl challenged a master waterbender to get her way. I don't think she'll back down when it comes to you." He then grinned sheepishly. "No offense."

"How can you…" Hakoda started, but then stopped speaking as he watched his daughter begin to wave and twirl her arms. As she did so, a vortex of water opened near the enemy lines. His daughter began to spin faster and faster so that the vortex widened and deepened. As Katara began to move at a frantic pace, two of the fire nation ships were pulled towards it.

The metal groaned loudly as the bows were pulled downwards, and then the two ships stood on end. One submerged completely, but the other snapped in half. The scratching and scraping of metal across metal invaded Hakoda's eardrums, and he found that he had to press his palms against his ears to block out the noise.

When it finally ceased, he stumbled backwards and stared hard at his daughter, who was beaming. "That's how," Sokka said dryly.

"Still think war is no place for a girl?" Katara asked with a grin as she brushed back a stray lock of hair, and Hakoda couldn't help but chuckle. Dear La, she was so like her mother.

But the battle wasn't over yet. There were still a good four ships to dispose of, including the one that Calder was fighting valiantly with aid from the young men. Katara began her dance again, and Hakoda had to wrench his gaze from the girl as she single handedly destroyed another one of the vessels.

While the others were occupied, Aang and Zuko flew over to one of the ships on the Airbender's glider. Once there, Aang made a show of his being the Avatar to distract the crew's attention from Zuko as the boy snuck to the control room. He quickly dispatched the guards as he absorbed the energy of the blazing furnaces, effectively putting out the fires. The vessel then screeched to a halt.

Renewed fire from the remains of Hakoda's fleet halted the progress of one more of the ships, and Aang and Zuko took out the last one. The cries and rage of battle silenced, and calm once again descended over the bay. Then, somewhere near, a bird began its song.

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Katara basked in the warm glow of the fire; suppressing tears as the scents of home came wafting back to her. The fur pelts blanketed the floor of the tent, and a pot of stewed sea prunes boiled over the flames. She didn't care that Aang was looking at the pelts with pity for the animals that once were, didn't care that a certain Fire Nation prince seemed repulsed by the "primitive environment." And for once, she didn't even care that Sokka was eating the food off of her plate. For the first time in months, she was home.

After the battle, a feast had been prepared in the Avatar's honor. Although she was a warrior, Katara had been expected to help cook and prepare for the meal. So, while Sokka re-united with his friends from the village, she had been slaving away in the tents cooking her brother's meals. Not that that kept his friends away from her. For some reason, a stream of young men had been going through the cooking tent all day. Some had even gone as far as to offer to help her cook.

Suki had laughed at as she helped Katara slice vegetables while the water tribe warrior complained about the constant interruptions. "Think of how long it's been since they've seen a Water Tribe woman, Katara," she had merely said in response. Somewhere over in the corner, Toph snorted and began to twirl rocks around her fingers.

The exchange reminded Katara of the long ago days when her mother had worked in the kitchen, patiently teaching her how to measure and stir ingredients properly while laughing with her friends. One stuck in Katara's mind in particular. Naida had been eighteen, and every male eye had been fixed upon her. The other women often made the poor girl the brunt of their jokes. Katara now held a certain amount of sympathy towards her, though she had laughed as a child.

"Sokka, leave your sister be," Hakoda admonished from beside his daughter, and Sokka scowled.

"She's not eating any of it!" he replied with a frown, and Suki laughed at the expression on his face.

"You still have food on your plate. You don't need to eat hers," she admonished, and Sokka's glower deepened. He then glanced between his sister's plate and his own and shoveled his food into his mouth, staring at Katara's plate with narrowed eyes.

"Slow down Sokka," Katara laughed, lightly shoving her brother's shoulder. "And what's with that frown?"

Toph snorted. "Last time I saw him smiling was when I caught him purring to his reflection," The girl said dryly, and Sokka's mouth dropped as his face burned.

"What! How could you have seen that? I only look at myself like that when…" he started in a rush, and then cast a glare in the girl's direction. The girl, who, he realized belatedly, was blind.

Beside him, Katara started laughing, as did Suki and Aang while Toph smirked at her victory. "Hey! It isn't funny!" Sokka shouted while his face turned as red as the Fire Nation emblem. At this point, Iroh, Hakoda and Bato joined in on the laughter while the men seated farther away looked on with a combination of amusement and confusion. Sokka scowled and slunk farther down on his cushion, hiding his face by lowering it to his plate and eating quickly.

"These are quite good," Iroh complimented Katara to ease Sokka's embarrassment somewhat.

Katara smiled at the man and then shrugged. "Suki and Toph helped."

At that, Suki laughed. "Are you kidding me? I didn't even know what those things were, much less how to cook them!"

"And I can't even see the stuff. You know Sugar Queen, there is such a thing as being too humble," Toph muttered, sampling another bite of the food on her plate.

"She has her mother's talents," Hakoda said wistfully, gently patting his daughter's head. "Kind, and patient, and…"

At this, Sokka laughed so hard some of his drink spewed out of his mouth. "Katara? Patient? HA!"

"Sokka!" Katara cried out, and then tugged on his ear. "Take it back, Warrior Boy."

Sokka whimpered slightly as she tugged harder, but remained firm. "What? You are."

"Remember who mends your pants." Sokka remained silent. "And washes your dirty socks." Still nothing. "And who cooks for you."

Sokka's eyes widened. "Okay, okay. I take it back."

Pleased with herself, Katara let him go and then smoothed out her robes. "I'm glad you see things my way," she replied with a smile. Sokka scowled and then glanced over to her plate.

"You gonna finish that?"

Katara sighed in exasperation and then pushed her plate towards her brother. "Just like her mother," Bato muttered to Hakoda, who grinned. Overhearing the comment, Iroh chuckled as well.

"Where is your nephew?" Bato asked Iroh, and the gang stiffened simultaneously. Introductions had been a shaky affair, as Hakoda had knowledge of both the Dragon of the West and the banished prince, but after a bit of time, the matter had been smoothed over. After the men had consumed copious amounts of sake, they acted like old friends.

"Outside," Iroh replied, a frown darkening his countenance.

"Oh? Has he eaten?" Bato asked. He was genuinely curious, but was trying rather poorly to hide that fact.

"I don't believe so. My nephew is…" Iroh paused as he groped for words. "Sensitive. No, he's…"

"Gloomy, annoying, vicious, stubborn…" Sokka supplied between mouthfuls. "Take your pick."

"Sokka," Hakoda admonished, and his son rolled his eyes as he stuffed another sea prune into his mouth.

"Zuko is a very solitary person," Iroh amended, and Hakoda nodded in understanding.

"My children are acquainted with him, are they not?" he asked, and Iroh nodded in response, wincing slightly when he saw the pair cringe. "Katara, bring Zuko a plate," Hakoda ordered, and Katara's eyes widened.

"But…" Sokka interjected, nearly rising to his feet. Katara pushed him back down before he could say anything more in protest. Rather, she nodded slightly and went about filling a plate with the meal. Every young boy of the Southern Water Tribe had his eyes on her, after all, and she wanted to be married eventually. If she spoke out against her father, it was doubtful that any of them would take her to wife.

"I'll be right back," she informed her brother as she walked towards the exit of the tent and then stepped out into the cool of the night air. Once out of earshot, the girl grumbled and kicked at the sand.

"I don't see why I have to be the one to do this stuff. Just because I'm a girl I have to be all 'domestic.'" Katara would have waterbended to help ease her frustration, but she was balancing Zuko's dinner on one hand already. With a disgruntled shout of frustration, she headed farther inland.

"I'm not just some housekeeper! I'm a warrior," she cried, out spinning around to face the tent where the men ate within. "Didn't they see me fight out there? I could beat them all with my hands tied behind my back!"

"Then you wouldn't be able to waterbend. That would make fighting them kind of pointless, don't you think?"

Katara jumped and whirled around to face a very somber looking Zuko, despite his teasing words. "I could still take them," she managed defiantly once the shock of the boy's sudden appearance had ebbed.

"I see it runs in the family," Zuko muttered, and Katara's eyes narrowed.

"You mean the family that you almost destroyed?" she retorted spitefully, and Zuko's eyes widened considerably.

"I didn't kill him. I didn't give the orders to kill him!" he shouted; smoke beginning to trail out his nostril. "It was Azula!"

"But you went along with it!" Katara yelled back, clutching the plate against her stomach.

"You love your father, don't you? You miss him when he's not with you. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I feel the same way about my father? That I would go along with a lot of things for him to love me?" he demanded his voice louder than ever. Katara's eyes widened a fraction, and Zuko cursed under his breath as he whirled away from her. He hadn't meant for that much to come out.

"But he doesn't," Katara whispered, and Zuko stiffened.

"No," he replied, his voice as hard and impenetrable as the wall that he had erected between himself and the outside world.

Katara's eyes lowered, and she swallowed. "You told us," she said after several tense moments, and Zuko turned a fraction so that he could see her out of the corner of his good eye. "You told us in time to save my father's life."

And there it was: forgiveness. He hadn't offered her anything in return for that gift, and that surprised him more than anything else. The last time he had been given something without expecting anything in return was when his mother…

"Here's your dinner," Katara said, interrupting his thoughts as she pushed the plate into his hands. "Goodnight…" she paused, and a teasing glint came into her eyes. "Zuzu."

And as she walked away, Zuko couldn't help that the corners of his lips turned up into a slight, faint smile.


	8. Enough

"Waquaa!" Beno called as he came to sit down beside Katara. The girl smiled slightly at his greeting and shifted over slightly so that there was room on the boulder for him as well. She hadn't spoken her language in… well, since she'd left the South Pole. She'd always considered it rude to speak a different language around Aang. Better to speak the Common Tongue.

"Waquaa," she replied in turn, bowing her head slightly in greeting as a female ought to.

"Qanuipit?"

"Qanuingittunga."

"Katara, Katara!" Aang called, and Katara smiled slightly at Beno.

"Sorry; my friend needs me," she excused herself in the Common Tongue and stood quickly, brushing off her skirts. Beno sighed in defeat and shook his head slightly once she was gone. For the life of him, he would never understand women.

Katara, in fact, had no such problems leaving the boy behind. In all reality, she was glad to go. For the past three years of her life, she had been surrounded by women and children, and had no need to give a male the respect that he was due. It made her nervous to be around a man of the Water Tribe again for the simple fact that she didn't always remember how to react.

"Katara! Look at what I can do!" Aang called, and Katara hurried over to where he stood, surrounded by a group of young Water Tribesmen. The airbender was juggling a stick and two rocks, his tongue slightly out of his mouth in concentration.

"How long have you been going for?" she called out as she rushed forward to stand beside her brother, who was scowling.

"A full minute! I beat Sokka's record!"

Katara grinned. "Oh, Sokka, aren't you happy for Aang?" she replied, affecting awe. Aang laughed, nearly losing his concentration so that he had to re-double his efforts to keep the items going. Sokka scowled at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

"He's an airbender, and the Avatar! He has an unfair advantage."

"You grew up playing_ Illukitaq_," she reminded her brother, whose frown deepened.

"Oh, don't mind him. He's just a poor sport," Suki called as she walked forwards, a smirk settled onto her features. "I'll never forget the first time that I ever saw him…"

"Suki! Not in front of the guys!" Sokka hissed, and the girl grinned.

Katara winked at the girl and threw a smile towards her brother. "Oh, yes. He was tied up to that Kyoshi statue. I remember." Katara paused, and cast a sidelong glance towards her brother's flushed face. "That was right after you beat him up, wasn't it?"

"Hey! I was busy watching Aang run from the Unagi! I didn't even know she was there. Besides, there were what, twenty of them and three of us?"

"There were four of us, Dearest," Suki corrected him, and she looped her arm with Katara's. "And you should have seen what happened afterwards."

Katara laughed as she started to walk off with her friend. "Does this have anything to do with him putting on lipstick?" she asked, just loudly enough for her brother's friends to hear.

There was a murmuring from the young men, and they all took a step away from the boy. Sokka now turned as red as a fire nation native with a sunburn. "Hey! Aang did it too."

"It was your idea both times!" Aang retorted, and the girls continued walking away, laughing so hard that they had to hold onto one another for support as the Water Tribe boys stared at the Avatar and one of their own in disbelief.

Sokka watched his sister's retreating back and then over to his friends. "Look…it isn't how it sounds, okay?"

"Dude, if it was just that, I could handle it. But he's what? Twelve?" One of the boys commented as he glanced from the Avatar to Sokka and back.

Sokka's face grew redder and he waved his hands in the air. "I'm telling you, it's not like that! I'm a ladies man. A bonafide, genuine ladies man!"

Aang cocked his head slightly to the side and stared at the boy, who was busy listing the name of all the girls that had developed a thing for him. _What, by Spirits, are they talking about?_ Aang shook his head, and listened to the boy that he had claimed as his brother. Suki, Yue, Ty Lee, Azula… _Azula?_

"Azula?" Aang demanded his eyes wide.

Sokka nodded, and glared in the boy's direction fiercely. "Yes," he hissed, and Aang started to laugh.

"Azula!" he laughed harder, clutching his stomach. "You honestly think that Azula…" he stopped, and wiped the tears that had formed in his eyes due to his laughter. "Oh, man. I have to go and tell Katara."

Sokka went white, then red, and then white again. "No, Aang! You have no idea how bad she'll mock me after that! And if I say anything, she won't cook for me!" Sokka cried out as he ran forward to stop the boy.

"Harsh," someone murmured from the back, and there was a general noise of agreement.

Aang only laughed harder and dashed off.

"Aang!" Sokka cried out, watching the Avatar's blurred form as he ran. "I'll… I'll…. I'll roast Momo!" he declared, but Aang didn't bother to turn around. Sokka cursed under his breath, and whirled around to face Momo himself who was perched on a rock.

"Momo, my buddy, my pal! You'd never treat me like that would you?" The lemur arched his back and hissed before taking flight and seeking refuge in the branches of a nearby tree. "Aw, Momo. I didn't mean it! I wouldn't really roast you! Even if you would be tasty!" Getting no response, Sokka kicked the sand hard and coughed when a pocket hit his face.

"Stupid Lemur," he muttered under his breath. "He looks so innocent, but he starts everything. I bet he _told_ Aang to tell Katara about Azula." Sokka then looked up at the tree that Momo was perched in and raised his fist into the air. "That's it Momo! No more Lychee nuts for you!"

Just then, something hard was thrown from the tree and landed with a thwack on the Water Tribe Warrior's head. "Hey!" Sokka shouted, and then reached down to pick up the offending object. "Ooh, Lychee Nuts!"

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"Why exactly are we waiting in here while the guys eat?" Toph demanded, her feet tapping the ground with impatience.

Katara sighed softly as she tucked her feet underneath herself as she sat on the warm fur pelts of the kitchen. "Because, Toph, it is what women are supposed to do."

"What?" Toph and Suki demanded at the same time, and Katara closed her eyes to block out their angry faces.

"It's our culture. Men are served first. Once they're finished eating, the women eat. Then we clean and go to bed. If you're married…" Katara blushed slightly and looked away. "You have to do a little more than cleaning."

"Those…those… Sexist animals!" Suki exclaimed, her face flushing with anger.

"This is ridiculous. I'm hungry and I'm eating!" Toph added.

"We didn't have to wait last night," Suki said at the same time, crossing her arms over her chest.

Katara pressed a hand to her head, attempting to ignore the headache that was beginning to blossom there. "Yesterday, we fought alongside the men. They had no choice but to include us. But today, we have nothing to celebrate, and we've done nothing to help them. They have no reason to include us."

"We've slaved in the kitchen all day, that's what we've done! We've helped them!"

"But that's expected of us. Like they're expected to hunt." Katara attempted to reason with her friends, who stiffened simultaneously.

"We can hunt!" The pair shouted, and this time Katara jumped up into a standing position.

"I know you can, and so can I!" Katara said quickly, and then forced herself to calm down. "But you have to understand, this is our culture."

"It's primitive is what it is. We'd never treat our women this way in the Earth Kingdom," Toph grumbled, smacking her fist into her palm for emphasis.

"No. In the Earth Kingdom, little blind girls are locked up so that her wealthy parents don't have to be ashamed!" Katara snapped, and felt her heart twist when she saw Toph's shoulders droop.

"Katara," Suki breathed in disbelief, and Katara pressed a hand to her mouth as though she couldn't understand how she could have said such a thing.

"Toph… I'm so sorry," Katara attempted to apologize and went to embrace the girl. Toph stepped away abruptly and crossed her arms over her chest as she concentrated.

"You're telling the truth," she muttered under her breath unwillingly. "About both things." She added after a while.

"I shouldn't have…" Katara started, but Toph cut her off again.

"No, you shouldn't have," she replied coldly, and Katara bit her lip.

"I'm so sorry."

"Will you shut up already?" Toph exclaimed, and Katara winced.

"Sorry," she said automatically, and Toph growled slightly. "Okay, okay… sorry."

"Katara!" Toph shouted in frustration, and the Water Tribe girl had to bite her tongue to keep from apologizing again. An uncomfortable silence settled over the three, and Katara rubbed her aching head. She'd thought that being with the people that she loved most would have made her happy, but all it did was serve to put her on edge.

"How long do we have before the Eclipse?" Suki asked after a time, and Katara's headache worsened.

"About two months, maybe a little bit more. Sokka has it counted down to the day."

"I know," Suki replied with a wry half smile. "We're going to have to leave soon if we want to create an army," the warrior finished, and Katara frowned.

"What?"

Suki bit her lip. "I've given this a lot of thought lately. The army, I mean. We're going to have to travel across the Earth Kingdom and get recruits. Then we should head to the Northern Water Tribe and see if anyone would be willing to join up, and then of course there are the rest of the Warriors on Kyoshi…"

"How long do you think it will take?" Toph asked, joining the conversation, the comment that Katara had made pushed to the back of the three girls' minds.

"From what I calculated, we'd be pushing it. The sooner we leave the better… no offense, Kata," Suki hastened to add, and Katara shook her head.

"None taken. I understand. I'll talk with my father after dinner." Katara paused, and then amended, "After our dinner."

"I hope they didn't take the best meat," Suki said, looking at the tent flap with concern.

"Meathead's in there. What do you think'll be left?" Toph replied dryly, and Suki shook her head slightly. "If there's any left at all," the blind girl muttered under her breath and the warrior winced. Toph then turned her sightless eyes back to Katara. "I still think the whole gender separation thing is stupid," she muttered, and slammed her hand down onto the ground. The earth trembled, and she smiled.

"I don't like it much either," Suki added, taking a seat beside the blind girl and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You'd better get used to it, Suki," Katara replied with a slight, teasing smile. "I mean, with the way you look at my brother and all…" she said in a sing-song voice, and Suki blushed.

"And you should feel your vibrations. Every time you get close to him, your heart goes a million miles an hour," Toph added, and Katara sneaked a glance over to the girl. She was smirking as she spoke- the closest to a real smile that Katara had ever truly seen. Maybe the girl had learned how to get over Sokka.

"Aw, you guys are just jealous that neither of you have someone," Suki snapped, her face tinted a dark shade of maroon.

Katara watched Toph's jaw clench, and felt her heart sink. _Or maybe not. _"Well, I for one am glad that I don't have some boorish, sexist man hanging all over me," Katara interjected before Toph or Suki could say anything to hurt the other more.

"Sokka's not…" Suki began in the boy's defense, but then fell silent. "Well, maybe sometimes," she admitted. "But he really is a nice guy once you get to know him," she insisted, and Katara burst out laughing.

"Yeah, if you're holding a bag of meat," Toph added, and Katara laughed again as she nodded in agreement. Suki crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the nearest pelt.

"Well, it's not just him. They're all boorish pigs," she grumbled under her breath, which set Katara and Toph into a fit of laughter again.

Just then, Iroh popped his head into the tent and looked over the three girls. "The boorish pigs are finished eating," he said with a wink, making Katara and Suki jump. Toph grinned in response to his statement.

"See, Katara laughed because she thought it was funny. I laughed because I knew Iroh was eavesdropping," she informed Suki with a smug smile. Suki scowled, and Katara hid her amusement long enough to pat the girl's shoulder in sympathy.

Then, she turned to a still grinning Iroh. "You won't tell my father about that, will you?" Katara asked, her voice pleading.

"Ah, don't worry my dear. This pig won't squeal," Iroh replied with a chuckle at his own joke, and then backed out of the tent as quickly as he had entered. Toph groaned slightly and covered her ears.

"He's a nice old guy, but sometimes I'd like to earthbend him from here to the moon," Toph muttered.

"The feeling's mutual. Do you know whenever he sees Sokka and me together, he gives us the weirdest look, and then he winks? It creeps me out," Suki added, and Katara smiled at her friends.

"He's not so bad. He actually helps me with the cooking. There's not many men out there who are willing to do that," she said in Iroh's defense, and Toph growled.

"Well, I said he was a nice old guy, didn't I?" She demanded, and Suki rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Toph, we have to clean," Katara replied, and Toph stiffened.

"I'm not cleaning," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance.

"Don't be such a child," Suki muttered under her breath, and Toph stomped her foot so that the earth under the Kyoshi warrior trembled. Suki quickly thrust her arms out to the side, and leaped onto a safe patch of the ground.

"How dare you?" The girl demanded, her breath coming in short gasps.

Katara quickly interceded. "Now you're both acting like children," she reprimanded gently, and silenced Suki's frown with a severe look. "Suki, we need to work together here. Toph, the sooner we clean up, the sooner I talk to my father, and the sooner we get to leave."

"I can't clean," Toph protested with a smug smile. "I'm blind."

"But you can keep us company," Katara replied shortly.

"We are eating dinner first, right?" Suki asked after her stomach growled as she followed Katara out of the seal hide tent.

Toph snorted. "I think Meathead's rubbing off on you."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Yes, Suki, we're eating dinner first. Toph, please try to get along."

Toph stuck out her tongue, and Katara sighed as she rubbed her temples. _I don't think this day could get any worse…_ "Hey, Katara!" The figure of a young Water Tribe man made his way over towards her, grinning. _Never mind. It just did._

"Good evening, Wahya," Katara replied with slight bow of her head as she forced a smile in the man's direction. He took that as an invitation, and hastened to come to her side.

"Are you on your way to eat now?" he asked with a grin, and Katara nodded slightly, not quite meeting Wahya's eyes.

"And clean," Toph added, shoving the man aside and taking his place beside Katara. Wahya looked on with shock, and though Toph couldn't see the expression on his face, she could feel the waves of emotion through the vibrations in the ground.

"I apologize for my sister's rudeness," Katara said quickly, shooting Toph an angry look, but realizing belatedly that it was pointless. "In the Earth Kingdom, women have equal status to men. She has not learned the ways of the Water Tribe," she hastened to add, and Wahya's eyes narrowed.

"I hope you aren't getting any ideas, little Katara."

Katara bowed her head fully this time, swallowing her pride. "Of course not. I am but a humble woman." She clasped her hands before her, although it was more of an attempt to keep her trembling from being noticed than out of any true respect.

Wahya eyed her, nodded once in approval, and walked away. Katara sucked in a huge breath, and clenched her fists. How dare he? _How dare he?_ How dare he make her, the youngest waterbending master- the only female waterbending master in the history of their tribe, bow and scrape to him?

"Ease up, Sugar Queen," Toph muttered as she felt Katara's heartbeat spike in anger.

Katara's lips drew taught, but she remained silent as she continued to the dinner tent. The three girls entered, and Katara allowed the flap to close behind her before she whirled back to Toph. "I'm starting to understand why you ran away," she said in a low, deceptively calm voice.

"Katara…" Suki started, and then glanced around the tent. "Uh, you should…eat something," she improvised, and picked up the remains of a platter. "Here, have some of…" she trailed off, looking down into the large bowl, "…whatever this is."

Katara's face grew red, and she snatched the bowl out of Suki's hands. "This is eel, stewed prunes and seaweed gruel!" she exclaimed vehemently, and then she glared at Suki. "And I'm not hungry."

"Well I am," Toph exclaimed, and pulled the bowl out of Katara's grasp. "Geesh, your heart is going like a million miles a second. And not in a good way." Toph dipped her fingers into the gruel and pushed the gooey food into her mouth.

"Look, I understand…" Suki started again, and Katara whirled around to the low tables, picking up bowls and the like before Suki could finish.

"Put those back, Sugar Queen. I'm not done yet."

Katara's eyes flashed with anger. "I don't care, okay? I don't care! Ever since I've gotten here, it's been 'Katara do this', 'Katara, do that.' She gathered more bowls into her arms. "Wash my laundry Katara', 'Come here and talk to me, Katara,' 'Make the meals, Katara,' Katara, Katara, Katara!"

She stomped her foot in a childish burst of anger. "I'm not just some domestic woman. I'm a warrior. I fight better than any of them, and they can't treat me the same just because I have a different anatomy than they do!" The girl stalked to the tent opening, and ducked out. "If anyone needs me, I'll be washing the dishes!" With that, she spun on her heel and exited.

Suki glanced towards Toph with a bewildered expression. Suddenly, Toph raised her arm and pointed at Suki. "For the record, this is all your fault." Suki's mouth gaped, and Toph grinned as she spooned another bit of the gruel into her mouth.

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Hakoda exited his tent where he had been speaking with Bato and looked out into the night. The moon shone over the waters of Chameleon Bay, and bathed the Water Tribe camp in its soft glow. He heard splashing noises coming from the shore, and looked in that direction.

For just a moment, his heart caught in his throat as he watched a snake of water coil itself out of the waters and to the figure of a woman. The scene was so familiar that he had almost thought it was his wife standing out there, washing the crockery as the men slept.

For an instant, the scenery around him faded away and was replaced by a blanket of thick snow. The noise of two children echoed from the warmth of his sealskin tent, and his wife stood a ways off, her slim body encased in a thick, warm, blue parka. She turned to face him with a smile, and Hakoda felt his knees go weak.

With a blink, the image was gone, and it was his daughter standing on the shore of an Earth Kingdom beach rather than his wife in the snow of the South Pole. Hakoda shook his head and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He watched as his daughter swirled the water through the pots before bending it back off and into the sea. _My, how my little Snow Bear has grown._

He walked towards the girl, and stopped short when he realized that her shoulders were shaking. Hakoda frowned, and then hurried forwards. "Katara?" he asked softly, and he felt a pang in his heart as his little girl hurriedly wiped her cheeks free of tears.

Hakoda knelt down, and gently cupped the girl's chin. Her eyes were red and swollen, and Hakoda's chest ached at the sight. "Snow Bear, what is it?" he asked gently, and Katara sniffled and turned away.

"Nothing," she mumbled under her breath, pulling another stream of water out of the ocean and washing yet another pot, steadfastedly ignoring her father's gaze.

"That isn't going to work, young lady," he replied softly, his voice teasing as he tugged lightly on one of her hair loops. His wife had worn those too, as well as Kana, his mother in law. "Now, tell your Papu what's bothering you."

Katara bit her lip hard, and then looked out at the water. "Can you bend water to your will?" she asked, and Hakoda frowned.

"Of course not."

"Can any of your men?" she insisted, and Hakoda's frown deepened.

"No."

"But waterbending is revered among the Water Tribes, isn't it? So why aren't I treated as an equal? Why do I have to wait for the men to eat before I can?"  
"Katara…"

"I don't mind the cooking and the cleaning. I'm used to that. But, Papu, I'm tired of being bossed around like I'm worth nothing. I'm worth something!" she exclaimed, the tears in her eyes replaced by anger.

_She's so like her mother that way_, Hakoda thought. _To quick to laugh, to quick to cry, to quick to anger. _"Of course, you're worth something," he soothed, attempting to put his arm around the girl's slender shoulders, but she brushed his hand away.

"So why aren't I treated like it?" Katara paused, and then met her father's eyes pleadingly. "Papu, I've been so many places over the past year, and everywhere I go, I'm treated equally. Even the North Pole respected me once I became a Waterbending master. But here…"

Hakoda rested a giant paw on his daughter's shoulder. "I understand, Kata. I do. But there are some things that women are…"

"I don't care! I'm a fighter, Papu. I fight for what I want and don't give ground. I always have, and I always will."

"Katara…"

"And I've been homesick for so long, but I hate being treated this way!"

"Katara…"

"Now I realize the only thing that I really missed about home was you and Gran-Gran, and I…"

"Katara!" Hakoda finally yelled, and the girl lapsed into silence. "Enough."

Katara swallowed hard, attempting to ignore the anger that had begun to simmer inside of her. She blinked several times, and then took a deep breath. "We have to leave tomorrow, Papu. Aang only has three months to master fire, and we have to alert the Earth Kingdom armies of Ba Seng Se's defeat, as well as inform them of the day of the invasion on the Fire Nation."

Hakoda's eyes widened, and then. "You can't go with them," he said sternly. "A young, unmarried woman should not travel in the company of men outside of her family."

"I am Aang's waterbending Master. I have to go," she replied just as sternly, and stood up, gathering the clean pots in her arms. "Goodnight, Papu." With that, she was gone.


	9. Plans

Katara brushed a strand of sweaty brown hair out of her eyes and stretched out her sore back. She had been loading Appa all morning along with the help of the gaang, and she was exhausted. "Could you grab that for me, Sokka?" Katara asked, indicating a bag that was too heavy for her to lift.

Sokka looked at the bag, grimaced with distaste, and ripped off another hunk of sealskin jerky. "Hey, Aang, move that for me, will ya?" he called over to the other side of the giant bison.

"I can't even see what you're pointing to!" Aang cried out in response, airbending himself up to Appa's saddle and peering over the ledge.

"You're the Avatar! Aren't you supposed to be all knowing?"

Toph groaned. "You're from the Water Tribe. Aren't you supposed to be strong?" She retorted for Aang, and Sokka shoved the rest of the jerky into his mouth.

"I'll have you know that I'm ten times stronger than either of you!" the warrior shouted around the food in his mouth, waving his arms for emphasis.

"Prove it!"

Katara shared a long look with Suki, and blocked out the rest of the argument. "He's your boyfriend," she said, bending down and lifting a sack of dried meat that Hakoda had given them.

"He's your brother," Suki replied dryly, grabbing several bedrolls and climbing up Appa's legs to deposit them in the saddle.

Katara smiled and shook her head, and was about to follow Suki when Beno interrupted her. "Hey, Katara!" he called out with a slight wave, and Katara forced a smile as she shifted the weight of her bag to her hip

"Beno," she replied with a slight dip of her head.

Beno stood before her awkwardly, unsure of what to say. "So… you're really leaving?" he asked lamely after a time, and Katara frowned.

"Of course. We only have three months to gather an…"

"I know all that," Beno cut in before Katara could finish her statement. "But don't you think you'd be safer traveling with us?" the boy asked, gesturing to the Water Tribe camp.

Katara drew a deep breath. "With all due respect, Beno, I'm traveling with the Avatar, an earth bender, two fire benders, and a crazily over protective brother. Not to mention that I'm a water bending master. I'm pretty sure that I couldn't get any safer."

Beno shifter his weight to his other foot awkwardly, and he cleared his throat. "It's hard to believe that you're a master. Last time I saw you, you were still wearing your hair in braids."

This time, Katara's smile was genuine, "I was ten then, Beno. And if I remember right, you used to love to pull on my twin-tails."

Beno flushed slightly at the memory. "That was mainly your brother," he defended himself weakly, and Katara gave a slight laugh.

"Ah yes, the pair of you! You were always teasing me, hiding my dolls, tearing down my snow-castles…" Katara exclaimed, remembering.

"We weren't that awful," Beno protested, and Katara laughed again.

"You most definitely were!" Katara replied with a large smile, forgetting for once that she needed to treat him as her superior as she re-lived the days that she was free to do what she wished. Silence fell between the pair, and the smile slipped off of Katara's lips when she realized the intensity of Beno's stare.

"You've grown up," he murmured so softly that she could barely hear him. He then reached forward and lightly tugged on one of her hair loops. "I'm going to miss you when you're gone."

Katara's eyes widened and she fought to conceal her panic. This had gone much too far! Beno was an old friend… no, he couldn't even be called that! He was her brother's friend. He couldn't have feelings for her! "I've only been here for two days," Katara managed breathlessly, taking a step back.

"Two days can feel like a lifetime in some cases," Beno replied, gently chucking her chin. Katara took another step backwards, her throat closing. What should she do? How could she respond to his advances when she felt nothing for him, but admitting as much would shame him in front of everyone that was near?

Her panicked flow of thoughts was cut off when Zuko strolled by, standing close enough beside the pair for Beno to back away. "So, Katara, do you want me to get that for you?" The fire nation prince asked, gesturing to the bag that she had tried to get Sokka to carry for her several minutes before.

Katara let out a deep sigh of relief at Zuko's sudden appearance, and was all too willing to turn her attention away from Beno and towards the fire bender. "Please," she replied, her eyes shining with gratitude. Zuko nodded slightly in return, and Katara knew that he understood.

"Well, I shouldn't keep you from your packing any longer," Beno said, glancing between the two. Then, he strode up to Katara quickly and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Until we meet again," he said, gently touching her cheek with his fore finger. He met Zuko's eyes in a quiet challenge, and then turned away.

Katara's eyes went huge, and she swung to face Zuko. "Don't worry. It was just a power play," Zuko replied evenly as he hefted the bag over his shoulder and began to make his way up Appa's leg.

"What?" Katara demanded, half dazed by the conversation.

"He thought I had a thing for you. He just wanted to let me know who was boss," Zuko replied calmly, although his fists clenched tighter around the bag.

"O-oh! Let me help you with that!" she exclaimed, scrambling up Appa's leg and taking an end of the bag from Zuko. "It's the least I can do! After all, you did interrupt that…uh…"

"Don't mention it," Zuko replied roughly, and then he fell into utter silence. Katara's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded just the same.

"Katara! Please call off Pony Tail here," Toph's voice rang out from below them, and Katara turned just in time to see Sokka standing with two large, heavy rocks in his hand. She quickly dropped her end of the bag onto Appa's saddle and rushed over to the edge.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" she demanded, horrified. As if the day couldn't get any worse…

"He thinks his amazing marksmanship will put my earth bending to shame," Toph replied, her grin of amusement apparent in her voice.

"Of all the… Sokka! Put those down this instant! You'll wind up hurting yourself!" she exclaimed, horrified.

"Sokka! For the love of Kyoshi stop it!" Suki chimed in, rushing to stand beside Katara. Sokka looked between his sister and his girlfriend, and back to Toph again.

"Just wait, little girl. This isn't over," he muttered, lowering the rocks, much to Katara and Suki's pleasure. He then glared at Toph, and made a rude gesture before realizing that she couldn't see it.

"Smooth," Zuko murmured under his breath, and Katara turned to face him with a brow raised and a slight smile curving her lips. He instantly set his face into its usual stony mask, and Katara sighed.

"I think we're all packed," the young waterbender said, surveying the saddle.

"About time!" Toph shouted from below, and Katara and Suki shared a smile.

Katara's smile slipped from her face as she watched her father exit his tent, Iroh and Bato just behind him. He lifted his hand to block the glare of the sun, and Katara looked away when his eyes met hers. "I need to say goodbye," she murmured to no one in particular, and began to crawl down Appa's leg.

"Don't leave without making things right." Zuko's quiet voice surprised her, and Katara looked over to him with a frown. "You'll regret it if you don't."

Katara's frown deepened, and she took a breath, about to argue. And then she saw the look on the boy's face, and felt the fight leave her. She nodded quickly, and continued her descent to the ground. Sokka was already there, waiting for her.

"Come on, Katara. We need to say goodbye to Dad!" He exclaimed when she didn't move fast enough for his tastes. Katara rolled her eyes and waved him ahead. Sokka shrugged, and then sprinted over to his father. Katara watched the father and son say their goodbyes from afar, and it wasn't until the boy moved on to Bato that she walked forward.

She did so slowly and reluctantly at first, knowing that she had to apologize for her behavior the night before but unwilling to swallow her pride. And then her father's blue eyes locked with her own, and she was ten years old again. She ran the rest of the way and threw herself into his arms, throwing her pride to the wind.

"I'm going to miss you, Papu," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck fiercely. And as she was in her father's arms, it hit her: this may very well be the last time that he ever held her. After all, people die in wars. The thought made her squeeze her eyes against the tears that welled below the surface, and hold him tighter still.

"I'll miss you too, Kata," her father murmured, and then broke the embrace and held his daughter at arm's length. "You are so much like your mother," he said softly, wiping the tears from his daughter's face with his thumb. "Beautiful and headstrong and fierce." He paused. "You have no idea how proud I am of you."

"I love you, Papu," Katara whispered, her fingers digging into the cloth of her father's fabric.

"I love you too, Snow Bear," Hakoda replied, his voice shaky. He leaned forward and kissed his daughter's forehead, and then wiped away her tears. "And I will see you in three months," he promised, and Katara nodded fiercely.

"Three months," she repeated, and sniffed, drying her remaining tears with her sleeve.

"Sokka," Hakoda called, and his son turned to face him. "Katara is your responsibility now. You must take care of her," he instructed, and Sokka nodded solemnly.

Katara walked over to her brother and looped her arm through his. "He always has," she replied, looking up at her elder brother with a smile. "Even when I don't want him to," she added, her smile widening a fraction. Sokka rolled his eyes, and then tugged on her braid.

Hakoda smiled softly at his children, and then glanced over to Iroh. "Will you watch over them for me?" he asked, and Iroh grinned.

"Of course, of course! And I must thanks you for the tea that you have given me. I have never had the traditional Water Tribe recipe before," he added with a grin as he patted the pouch on his side. Sokka made a face and stuck his finger in his mouth, and scowled when his sister smacked him upside the head.

An hour later, Hakoda watched with a heavy heart as the Avatar's bison lifted his children into the air. They were far too young to be involved in this war. He had left them behind all those years ago to ensure that their first brush with the fire nation would be their last.

But they had joined the war anyway, and now his children- one with barely any facial hair and one just on the verge of womanhood- were the only hope that the Rebellion had. These children- too young to marry, too young to fully understand the nature of war- were the ones leading the Alliance of Nations against the Fire Nation.

He feared for them.

------

Aang spread out the map on what little space remained on Appa's saddle. "Okay, where are we planning on going first?" he asked, pointing to the map.

"Ba Seng Se is the closest," Sokka said, outlining the distance between Chameleon Bay and Ba Seng Se with his pointer finger.

"There's no way we're going back there so soon!" Katara protested. "Aang, everyone there knows your face. You're too fresh in their memories. To go there would be absolute suicide!"

"I agree with Katara," Iroh added, nodding his head towards the girl. The coup de tat happened far too recently for you to return to Ba Seng Se."

"And Kyoshi is out of the question," Suki added. "If Azula knows that you are friends with the Kyoshi Warriors, she will probably head there first," she said, pointing to the island that she was born and raised on.

"What about the swamp?" Aang suggested, and Katara regarded him thoughtfully before nodding.

"I think that sounds like a good idea," Katara said slowly, and then glanced over at Iroh. "We know some benders there that might be willing to help," she clarified and Iroh nodded.

"Katara! Those guys?" Sokka protested. "But they eat bugs, and keep alligators as pets, and they talk funny, and…"

"They're distant cousins," Katara added, and Sokka's face screwed up in revulsion.

"There's no way I'm related to those hillbillies!" he retorted sharply, and Katara rolled her eyes. "What, I'm not!"

"I don't know, Sokka. You do talk funny…" Toph said with a smirk, and Sokka glared at the girl. He went to lunge at her, but Katara held him back firmly.

"Will you stop acting like such a child?" she demanded, and Sokka withdrew to his place on the saddle with a glower. "Now," Katara said, glancing around. "Does everyone agree on the swamp as our destination?"

There were nods all around. "I have a suggestion," Zuko spoke up, his voice low.

"Why do you think we'd want to hear from…" Sokka began, but Katara cut him off.

"Go on," she urged, and Zuko nodded, but not without glaring in Sokka's direction. Sokka glowered. Katara and Iroh shared a look and a sigh at the hostility displayed between the two boys.

"We should purchase disguises when we stop for supplies. Azula knows our appearances too well. If she gets word about any one of us, she will find us."

"And how do you expect us to hide that ugly thing?" Sokka demanded, pointing to Zuko's scar. Everyone aboard Appa went silent, and Katara let out a soft gasp.

"Sokka!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disappointment and rebuke.

Zuko's glare was unwavering. "Don't worry, Katara. I won't take anything that water tribe brat says to heart. After all, you know what they say about men with big mouths. The rest of them is very…"

"Zuko!" Iroh shouted, frowning at his nephew. "Such insults are not made for ladies' ears," he rebuked, but Zuko didn't bother to apologize. Instead, a corner of his mouth turned upwards and the look he gave Sokka darkened.

"I'll have you know that I am extremely…" Sokka retorted, and Suki smacked him.

"There's some things even I don't want to know," she muttered, turning away so that Sokka wouldn't see her flushed cheeks.

Katara cleared her throat uncomfortably as she too attempted to suppress her blush. "I think that's a good idea, Zuko," Katara said. "About the disguises," she hastened to add when Sokka's face changed to resemble that of a man betrayed. "We are a bit… conspicuous."

"And while we stop in the villages, I have some visits that I should make. I have… friends… who may be willing to help us."

"Could this guy get any vaguer?" Sokka asked, jerking a thumb in Iroh's direction. Zuko fumed, but Iroh merely chuckled.

"That is the privilege of an old man," Iroh replied good naturedly. "But I may say this: I am a member of a society of those opposed to Ozai. We have been biding out time for a long while. I will spread the word that our time has come. The other members of the order will spread the word to those we cannot reach."

"That's great!" Aang exclaimed with a grin. "So, where are these guys?"

"Everywhere," Zuko answered for his uncle darkly, recalling all the times that he had been left alone for some shop or another for hours as his uncle had spoken with the other members of the Order of the White Lotus.

"Come, nephew! They are quite useful." He then turned to Katara and gave her a wide, cheeky grin. "And we all make exceptionally good tea," he added.

Katara gave him a wan smile in response, and Zuko glanced over the saddle of the flying bison in an attempt to ignore his uncle.

"So, should we stop now or…?" Aang asked, but Katara cut him off.

"We're still too close to Ba Seng Se. I can't let Azula catch you, Aang. Not after what happened last time," she said softly, and Aang flushed at the concern that she showed him. Zuko hunched his shoulders in an effort to be as invisible as possible as he too remembered that day.

"It doesn't matter if she captures me now, Katara," Aang told his friend with an uncharacteristically solemn look on his face. "Pathik helped me master the avatar state." The boy's eyes darkened slightly, and then he stood quickly. "We'll travel until tomorrow night. We'll stop then," he said as he rolled up his map and headed to his place on Appa's shoulders.

Katara's brows furrowed together with worry. "Aang!" she called and stood, but Toph's hand on her arm stopped her.

"He wants to be alone, Sugar Queen. I don't need to feel his vibrations to know that," the blind earthbender said, and Katara sat back down, worrying her bottom lip.

Sokka glanced around the saddle, and then eyed a bag of food. "So…anyone up for some sealskin jerky?"

-----

"Alright, Twinkle Toes. What gives?" Toph demanded later that night, carefully feeling her way across the saddle and cursing herself for ever agreeing to fly on this flying monster anyway. No disrespect intended to Appa, of course.

Aang looked up from his seat behind the reins, and his face clouded with worry when he saw how dangerously close Toph was to the edge. "Hey, be careful!" Aang exclaimed, scrambling up Appa's shoulders and grasping Toph's hands firmly in his own.

"I can do it myself," Toph muttered, but even as she said so, she slipped and grabbed onto Aang's hands even tighter.

"I know you can," Aang replied, unwilling to begin an argument. After all, no one could win against Toph Bei Fong. And if he ever did win an argument, he was sure that Toph would squish him between the two heaviest boulders that she could find afterwards.

Once Aang had guided Toph to the place where Appa's shoulders met his neck, he sat her down and picked up the reins once more. "Don't fall," he warned, and suppressed a grin when he saw Toph's hands clench around Appa's fur.

"You never answered my question," Toph replied, and Aang frowned. "What happened with Pathik?" she asked, and she heard Aang sigh from beside her.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Why don't you want to tell me?"

"I never said I didn't want to tell you!" Aang protested, and Toph tapped her fingers against Appa's fur.

"You're avoiding my question."

Aang looked away, and gripped Appa's reins tighter. "It's personal."

"Meaning it's about Sugar Queen," Toph replied dryly, and smirked when she heard Aang's quick intake of breath.

"Please, Twinkle Toes. Your vibrations go crazy whenever she touches you. Now, spill." She commanded, and Aang swallowed hard.

There was silence for a few minutes until Aang finally broke down. "Pathik told me that I'd have to give her up if I ever wanted to master the avatar state. I refused the first time, and because of that, all of you guys almost died. I did die," he whispered with a shake of his head, almost unable to believe it.

"So you decided to give her up?"

"Yes."

Toph laughed, and not just lightly. It was a full, gut-wrenching laugh that came from the belly and rose up out of the throat. Aang flushed horribly. "What's so funny?" he demanded, and Toph laughed harder.

"Twinkle Toes, your vibrations still jump all over when she's around. Nothing's changed!"

Aang took a deep breath. "No, Toph. Before, I would have died for her. I would have killed anyone- even you or Sokka if it meant I could save her."

At this Toph sobered and drew a measured breath. Her fingers gripped Appa's fur tighter as she tried to wrap her mind around the concept.

"I still care about her," Aang admitted, and then stared out into the night sky. "But it's different now. The feelings are there, but they're not as intense as they used to be. I've made peace with the fact that I'm the avatar and she has no place in my destiny.

"Do I still wish she could be? Yes. Does my heart still jump with every smile? You know it does. But I know she doesn't belong with me." He finally turned towards Toph and forced as much sincerity into his voice as possible, knowing that she couldn't see the look on his face. "I'm trying to let her go."

---------

"I'll purchase the disguises while Iroh talks to his friends," Katara said, and protests were heard from nearly everyone aboard Appa.

"There is absolutely no way I'm letting my baby sister go into town alone!" Sokka protested, while the cries of 'Don't you think I want to walk around too?' were heard from almost everyone else.

"Sokka, they'll be looking for two Water Tribe teenagers. We can't be seen together," Katara reasoned, and then turned to Suki. "And that dress you're wearing is bound to draw attention. It isn't often that the Kyoshi warriors leave Kyoshi island. And it will be even stranger considering the fact that you're supposed to be dead." She said, and Suki looked away.

"Toph, your parents are still searching for you. There's got to be a hundred people searching for you. Last I heard, your father was offering a pretty big reward." Toph scowled, but didn't bother to argue. "And Aang… everyone knows what you look like."

Aang shrugged sheepishly. "She does have a point, guys."

"I'm telling you, you're not going there alone!" Sokka exclaimed, and Katara rubbed her temples wearily.

"I'm not alone. I have Iroh with me."

"But you'll be splitting up!"

"I can defend myself!" Katara shouted, and Sokka's eyes narrowed.

"No bending allowed, remember? These guys will have brute strength on their side! And what if it isn't fire nation scum? What if its just some guy. You're pretty, Katara, and you're young and far too naïve. Some filth might pull you off into some alley and…"

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed, turning scarlet.

"I'm not going to take that chance!"

"I'll go with her," Zuko offered, and Sokka scoffed.

"You? Just look at you. The entire right side of your face is pink. You practically scream: 'look at me! I'm the banished Prince!"

"Sokka," Katara admonished softly. She then glanced over at Zuko with a frown. "Maybe if we…" she murmured under her breath, and then twisted around to dig through one of the bags. When she turned back around again, she had a bottle of grease and a hairbrush in her hands.

Zuko eyed the items with distaste. "No."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a baby," she muttered, picking her way carefully over Iroh and Toph's legs until she was able to kneel directly in front of Zuko. "Now, just hold still…" she instructed as she began to brush his hair down over the scar.

Zuko sat stock still, mortified. He swung his eyes over to his uncle who was smiling good naturedly, and to Sokka, who was smirking like an absolute idiot. He wanted to punch the smile right off of the water tribe boy's face.

Katara quickly smeared some of the grease onto Zuko's hair, and then brushed it in so that the hair would be held in place. As she did so, she leaned close to his face, so close that she could feel his breath against her cheek.

The sensation unnerved her, and she stopped brushing for the smallest of moments. Her eyes met his, and she swallowed convulsively. Her gaze flickered down to his lips, and suddenly, she wondered what it would be like to kiss him. Would he taste the same as Jet had? Or would he be different?

Iroh cleared his throat, and Katara jerked back, and began to smooth down Zuko's hair over his scar again, hoping that he didn't notice how her hands trembled. But he did. Katara met his eyes once more, and realized abruptly that his thoughts had been on the same path as hers.

She took a shaking breath, jerking her attention back to his hair. Of all times for such a thought to come over her, why here, in front of everyone? In front of her brother? Katara grimaced, and then cursed her racing heart. Cursed the blasted teenage hormones.

"There," she said, forcing herself to sound strong and unaffected. "You can hardly even see the scar."

Sokka glared at the pair. "There is no way you are ever being left alone with him," he ground out, his eyes as cold as ice. Katara swung her eyes to Iroh, who merely grinned and looked as though he had just uncovered a well guarded secret.

Katara looked over to Zuko again, who had caught the expression on his uncle's face. "He thinks he's a step closer to getting grandchildren," Zuko muttered under his breath resentfully, and Katara's face paled with horror.

"Dear La!"

Meanwhile, Iroh simply continued to grin.

----

Well, so many people wrote to me and asked me to start updating again, so I did. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and it would be really nice to get some feedback from everyone. Please let me know if you think everyone is in character, and if you don't, please tell me why so I can fix it. Thanks for reading.

Sandra Evans


	10. The Raid

Despite Sokka's threats and arguments, it was decided by the majority that Zuko would indeed serve as Katara's companion on their excursion to the village. Defeated, Sokka had threatened Zuko's life, his bending, and his manhood should the boy even lay a finger on his baby sister. Zuko had ignored the warrior's ranting.

Iroh had gone on ahead of the pair, saying that it would be suspicious should a man of his girth and a boy of Zuko's age to appear together. So, the two teenagers were left alone as they made their way through the forest and to the village.

The silence was deafening.

"So…" Katara began, but trailed off when she failed to come up with something to say. She licked her lips, and glanced over to Zuko's nonchalant profile. "Um… what kind of disguises do you think we should get?" she asked quickly, as the thought popped into her head.

"Ones that make us blend into the populace as much as possible," Zuko replied stoically without turning to face her.

"Like what?" Katara prompted, hoping to get him to open up to her, even just a little.

"Brown." Zuko replied shortly, suppressing a wince when she spoke again,

"Just brown?"

"We'll blend."

Katara suppressed a grimace of distaste. The last time she had worn brown, she'd been trapped aboard a fire nation ship while masquerading as an earth bender. It had not been a pleasant experience..

She glanced over to Zuko again and chewed on her lip, trying to think of a way to get him to show some emotion. _Any_ emotion. Then, suddenly, it hit her. "You'll look like a _peasant,_ you know," she teased good naturedly.

Zuko's jaw locked, but he remained silent.

Katara sighed softly, and abandoned all form of conversation. Tense silence reigned once more, interrupted only by the songs of the birds up ahead. Prior to their journey, Katara had never heard a bird chirp before. Of course, there had been the noises of the walruses and penguins, but those were deep and comforting. A bird's song was high-pitched and cheery. It was amazing exactly how much the difference of noise could alter the setting.

"This place is so different from home," Katara mused aloud. "There's never any green in the South Pole," she continued, gesturing to the area around her. Then, she frowned. "What's the fire nation like?" she asked after several heartbeats, half expecting Zuko to remain silent.

But he didn't. "Hot," he replied shortly, glancing away. "It's really a bunch of cities and jungles around a chain of volcanoes," he clarified.

"Is it pretty?"

"It's alright."

Katara sighed softly. "I've never seen a volcano before," she admitted. "I'm not sure if I ever want to get near one," she continued. "From what I've heard, they destroy everything in their paths when they erupt."

A muscle in Zuko's jaw clenched. "Fire tends to do that," he muttered darkly.

Katara's breath hitched in her throat as she glanced over at the fire bender, and saw the lines on his forehead. Lines that belonged on the visage of an older man, and looked out of place on his young face. "You know, it's very easy to freeze in the South Pole," she said softly after several heartbeats, looking directly ahead of her as she walked. "The temperature drops quickly, and death is common in the young and the elderly." She paused, and then gently rested her hand on his forearm. "Without the fire, we would all die. Fire is what saves us."

Zuko glanced down at the small copper hand resting on his arm for the briefest of seconds before he shrugged it off.

Katara sighed softly, and glanced away. _Will I ever be able to reach him?_

"The village is just ahead," the boy said, and subconsciously touched his scar beneath hair that Katara had so patiently slicked down over his face.

"No one will recognize you," Katara offered, noticing his unease.

Zuko let out a short breath, a trickle of smoke making its way out of his nostrils. "How am I to hide this? I can't hide behind my hair for forever!" he muttered, his temper beginning to get the better of him.

"Your hair will have to do until we can find a better solution," Katara replied smoothly, and Zuko shook his head briefly before resuming his previous silence.

Katara sighed, and touched the money pouch at her side. Kuie, the earth king, had given the children a "small" sum before leaving them shortly after the Crystal caves at Ba Seng Se. Katara couldn't say she regretted the loss of the man's companionship. He and Bosco had made camp life exceedingly difficult for the gang, after all. He couldn't cook or clean, and hated to sleep in the outdoors. The man squirmed if a bug got too close to him. However, the sum of money that he had left behind was great enough to cover his many flaws.

"You shouldn't do that," Zuko observed from beside her, and Katara frowned.

"What?"

"Touch your money. If there are any outlaws in this forest, they'll be sure to notice." He glanced over the girl disdainfully. "And you shouldn't keep it in plain sight. Put it around your neck," he instructed, and Katara frowned.

"It's perfectly fine where it is."

"If you want to be pick pocketed," Zuko replied blandly.

Katara rolled her eyes, but she unknotted the strings of her pouch from her belt and tied it around her neck before tucking it inside of her robes. "Better?"

Zuko nodded solemnly and trained his gaze directly ahead of him. They had reached the clearing, and the village was just ahead.

"Do you suppose your Uncle's had much luck?" Katara asked.

"He's probably on his third cup of tea by now," he replied. Katara would have laughed, but there was no trace of humor evident in Zuko's voice.

"You're uncle is a great man," Katara said seriously, worried for the briefest of moments that the boy beside her couldn't recognize that fact.

"I know," Zuko replied softy, remembering how Iroh had given up life and home to be with him in his banishment, and had loved him no matter what a mess he had made of himself.

The pair were silent as they walked through the gates of the village, and Katara offered a small prayer of thanks to the spirits for allowing them entrance without being recognized. "Pardon me," she said, lightly tapping the shoulder of a young woman as she walked by. "Could you tell me where I could find a clothing store?" she asked.

The woman paused, and glanced over Katara warily before giving her directions and hurrying away. Katara frowned slightly, and then looked to Zuko. "What was all that about?"

The boy beside her shrugged, and Katara sighed softly. As the pair made their way through the town, Zuko noticed that the villagers gave them wide berth, some going as far as altering their paths to avoid them. A queasy feeling began to bloom in the pit of Zuko's stomach. Had they been recognized? How long would it be before Azula arrived.

Zuko quickly surveyed his surroundings. The village was small, with few places to hide, and the thatch roofs meant the village was a tinderbox just waiting to be lit. Fire bending would surely result in the lives of most of these peasants. But Azula would show no mercy…

"Zuko!" Katara hissed into his ear, and the boy jerked his head up. "Were you listening to me?" she demanded, and Zuko forced an impassive stare.

Katara sighed. "I'll take that as a no," she said, lightly tugging at one of her hair-loops. "I said we're here," she repeated, gesturing to a small, thatched hut that resembled every other one on the dirt road. "Let me do the talking."

Zuko clenched his fists at his sides. "Why sh…"

"Because I said so," she replied, sounding very much like the mother of a small toddler as she spoke.

They entered the shop, which turned out to merely be the front room of an elderly woman's home. "Welcome…" the woman began, the tone of her voice friendly until she reached the pair and adjusted her spectacles. "What brings you to our village," she asked, her tone now decidedly suspicious.

"My husband, Zhi, and I are on our way to visit his parents in Ba Seng Se," Katara said, lightly touching her mother's necklace as she did so. "We needed to purchase some supplies, and this seemed as good a place as any."

Zuko choked, but hid it behind a cough. The old woman glanced between the pair and narrowed her eyes. "This isn't the market," she observed, and Katara flushed slightly.

"Kaya here loves buying new clothes, don't you honey?" Zuko said quickly, placing his arm around Katara's shoulders. "She insists that ours are already too threadbare, even though she just bought them last month."

Katara scowled at him, and Zuko gave her a lazy smile, accompanied by a wink. The old woman watched the exchange, and then her face relaxed into a weary smile. "The weary traveler is always welcome here," she said, her voice now warm and welcoming.

Katara returned the smile, and swiftly stepped away from Zuko. "What do you have for sale?" she asked, and the old woman's smile widened a fraction as she drew Katara over to a pile of brown, green, and beige fabric.

Zuko glared at the two chattering women, choosing to glance outside the window rather than watch the pair. It was warm and sunny out, and yet few people were on the streets. The shutters were bolted tight over small windows, and the faces of young children were strangely absent. The entire village seemed to be preparing for something sinister.

"And what does your father do?" the old woman asked, cutting into Zuko's observations.

"He owns a tea shop in the lower ring," he replied automatically, and the woman smiled.

"What a noble occupation!" she exclaimed, before turning back to Katara and the garments. Zuko snorted in response, and glanced back out the window.

How long until Azula discovered their whereabouts? Someone had to have seen the Avatar's animal. After all, Zuko himself had followed the tales of Bison sightings in order to track down the boy. And the baths that the closely knit group insisted on giving the giant beast couldn't remove all of the lose hair. It had probably left a trail by now…

Zuko sighed harshly and turned back around, fingering a straw hat. Perhaps if he wore the brim low enough, his scar would be kept in shadow…

"Try that on, Zhi," Katara said, glancing at Zuko over her shoulder. "It might come in handy," she said, turning around, her arms full of clothes. Zuko raised his brow at the amount, before remembering that she was purchasing enough for seven people. Zuko placed the hat on his head, and Katara nodded.

"We'll take that too," she said, gesturing to the elderly woman. The woman nodded, and Zuko handed her the hat before moving towards the door.

Katara watched him out of the corner of her eye as she paid the old woman for her purchases and loaded them into a basket. "Zhi!" she called, holding the basket out in front of her. "Carry this for me, would you honey?" she asked.

Zuko glowered, but took it anyway, his jaw clenched at being ordered about like a common serving boy. He turned to the old woman, and forced a stiff nod before grabbing Katara's wrist and pulling her out of the shop. "Don't speak to me that way again," he muttered under his breath before releasing the girl's arm.

"Are you threatening me?" Katara demanded, her eyes narrowed and her face beginning to flush. Zuko saw her hand inching towards her water skin, and he glared at her.

"Don't, unless you want to be caught. These people have undergone a raid recently, and are expecting some sort of fight with the Fire Nation. If you want to keep our whereabouts a secret, don't touch that water."

Katara dropped her hand, but her glare darkened. "You're the same selfish, spoiled little boy that chased us halfway around the globe."

Zuko smirked. "If I was still that same boy, you'd be dead by now," he replied, the tone of his voice dark and bordering on the dangerous.

Despite herself, Katara drew back slightly with fear at the remark. Just as quickly as the anger had overcome Zuko, it left. The next time Katara ventured to look at him, his face was set in its typical, nonchalant mask.

As they approached the market, Katara wondered just how much emotion the boy was able to hide. The thought made the blood chill in her veins, and for the first time since he'd joined them, Katara began to doubt Zuko's intentions.

"Why do you think there was a raid?" Katara asked softly as she sorted through the vegetables at the produce stand.

Zuko caught the suspicion in her voice, and his face hardened. "You don't trust me," he noted, picking up an apple and twirling it lightly, his eyes carefully averted from Katara's.

"You didn't answer my question," Katara replied, adding several carrots to her basket, and then taking the apple from Zuko's hand.

"Look how wary everyone is. Something happened here. A raid seemed to be the most logical conclusion," Zuko replied, his tone bored and bland,

Katara sighed, and her fingers stilled over their inspection of the produce. "You've obviously never survived through one," she replied softly, swallowing hard as she began to sort through the fruit.

Zuko was silent. Katara added a mango to her basket, paid the merchant, and then moved on to a stand that sold dried meat. "It's not that I think you're going to hurt us," she said softly, not quite meeting Zuko's eyes. "But you've given us no reason to trust you."

"I left Azula."

"She tried to kill you," Katara pointed out, and Zuko rubbed a hand over his face.

"What do you want from me?" he demanded, and Katara turned her head away.

"It'll come to you eventually," she replied, studying the merchant as he wrapped her purchases and accepted them with a small smile. "Trying to get along with Sokka would be nice," she suggested, adding the meat to the basket she had slung over her arm and then headed down the dirt path that led out of the village.

Zuko snorted. "With that buffoon?"

"He's a tactical genius," Katara defended her brother. "He was the one who altered the plans to your hot air balloons so that they would work. He's the one who orchestrated the defense of the air temple your people tried to destroy. He may not look it, but he's brilliant."

"He's a pest."

Katara spared the boy a small smile. "I'd agree. But the rest of us have learned to get along with him. You should too."

Zuko shook his head and was about to reply when he stopped suddenly, and grabbed Katara's elbow to keep her still. "Do you hear that?" he asked softly, and Katara's brow furrowed as she concentrated.

"I don't hear anything," she replied, and looked towards Zuko, whose face was grim.

"Exactly."

Katara's breath hitched in her throat. "Do you think…?"

Before she could speak further, Zuko grabbed her arm and ran down a narrow alleyway as the sounds of a fire nation army were made evident. A tall wall blocked their escape at the end of the alley, and Zuko felt beads of sweat appear on his brow as he considered their options.

He could either scale it with Katara on his back, or beg for shelter in one of the homes. Neither sounded promising. He glanced back at the wall, and made his decision. "Come on," he hissed to Katara. Katara quickly shook her head.

"We're not leaving these people!"

"We're leaving," Zuko insisted, but Katara stood her ground. "I'll drag you out of here if I have to!" He threatened, and Katara's eyes darkened.

"I'm staying."

A trail of smoke exited Zuko's nostril. "Come on!" he demanded harshly, his heart pounding as he heard the unmistakable sound of fire nation armor clunking towards the alley. Katara shook her head obstinately. Zuko toyed with the idea of leaving her to her fate, but then the image of Iroh's face entered his mind and he grit his teeth.

"Fine!" he growled, drawing his broadswords. Katara grinned as she withdrew a stream of water from her pouch.

The pair dashed out of the alley, Katara in the lead. Zuko muttered curses under his breath as he followed her through near empty streets to the home of the old woman, which was barred and sealed. Katara pounded on the door. "It's Kaya and Zhi! Please, let us in!" she called out.

Zuko glanced towards the entrance of the town, and winced when he saw the glow of fire approaching. "Open the door!" he demanded. Still, there was no answer. Zuko bit his lip. What could possibly guilt the woman into opening the door? And then, he got it. "My wife is pregnant! For the sake of our child, please!" He called out again, banging harder.

Katara went scarlet, and turned to Zuko with her mouth agape. "Pregnant?" she mouthed and Zuko gave her an exasperated sigh. Just then, the door swung open quickly, allowing the pair entrance.

"Hurry inside," the old woman whispered, gesturing for them to enter as she peeked outside the door. "Hurry!" she urged, and then slammed the door closed behind them.

The elderly woman then rushed across the room, and drew back a rug, exposing a small, hidden door that led down to the basement. "Bolt the door from the inside, and then go down the stairs. I'll get you when they're gone," the old woman exclaimed, giving the two a shove.

Katara glanced back towards Zuko, then the old woman, and then quickly did as the elderly woman had bade. Zuko followed close behind her, and the door was dropped quickly into place behind them. They were surrounded by pitch blackness. Zuko carefully brought up a small flame, and slid the bolt on the bottom of the door home.

The flame flickered out, and they were absorbed by inky blackness once more. Katara slowly descended the steps, her heart in her throat as Zuko's hands stayed latched onto her shoulders for guidance. The pair reached the bottom, and scooted to the farthest corner, their shoulders and hips brushing against one another's. They sat in absolute silence, taking measured breaths as they did so.

And then came the heavy footfalls of a soldier above them. Katara involuntarily leaned closer against Zuko, and the boy gently draped an arm around her shoulders in a subconscious effort of comfort.

"Do you have the money?" A deep voice came from above, and sounds of scuffling feet could be heard.

"Of course, of course," the old woman exclaimed, her voice shaky as she hurried across the floor. She returned to the soldier quickly, and Katara held her breath at the few moments of silence.

"This isn't as much as you paid me last month!" the man growled, and the old woman began to stammer.

"I-I-I'm sorry! B-business has been slow lately. That's all that I can afford to give you!"

Zuko flinched as a smack resounded throughout the small home. He felt Katara tense beside him, and saw that her eyes were squeezed closed tightly and her fists were clenched.

"How much are you holding back, woman?" the soldier demanded.

"Please! What little I have left is what pays for my bread. Without that, I'll…"

"I don't care if you starve! I want what you owe me!"

"Please," the woman begged, and another smack sounded, followed by a thump as the woman fell to the floor. Katara let out a small cry, and Zuko quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. He shook his head in order to warn her not to speak, and she nodded quickly. Assured that she would make no further noise, Zuko released her.

"Ah, she isn't worth your trouble," a second soldier said.

"And what is?" the first demanded.

"There's a pretty girl a few houses down, and she's all alone. I think we should… give her some company," the second replied, and the first chuckled.

Katara jerked forwards, and Zuko grit his teeth as he grabbed her and yanked her back down against him. "But they're going to…" she protested in a whisper, and once again, Zuko covered her mouth with her hand.

"It's her or you," he replied, his tone low. Tears welled up in Katara's eyes, and she tried to break free from him. "I can't defend you from all of them," he hissed.

"I can defend myself," she retorted, jerking free from Zuko's hand.

"As for you," the first soldier said loudly, his muffled voice reaching the pair in the basement below. "You'd better have the money next time, or else," he warned before stalking out. The doors slammed closed behind the soldier, and Zuko heard muffled weeping upstairs.

"Zuko! We have to go to her. We can't just let them…"

Zuko ran a hand through his hair as he cut her off. "They out number us ten to one, and they're probably mostly benders! How could we, two kids, stand up to all of them without any aid? And do you know what would happen to you Katara? Do you?" he demanded, giving her shoulders a slight shake.

"Imagine being ravaged by twenty, maybe even thirty men! That would be your fate!" he exclaimed, shaking her again.

Katara dissolved into tears once more, and beat her fists against Zuko's chest, trying to break free from him. She was so distraught, she forgot about the water pouch at her side; forgot about nearly everything. She could see the raid on her village again; hear the women's screams as then men did things…unspeakable things to them.

Zuko roughly pulled her against him, all awkwardness forgotten for the moment as her tears soaked his shirt. Instead of begging for freedom, Katara's fists balled around his tunic as she clung to him, her shoulders quaking as she cried.

Zuko, unsure of what to say or do, simply held her until her tears were spent. There was silence from upstairs, and at last, silence from the girl who now slept with her head on his shoulder. Zuko's eyes flickered close, but his dreams were dark ones; dreams of a young, unknown girl's cries.

)0(

When a dark skinned, blue eyed boy knocked on her door, the old woman knew just who he was looking for. Wordlessly, she guided him to the trapdoor, and gave him a candle so he could see as he descended the steps.

The soldiers had finally departed the village some time in the early morning, leaving behind ashes and heartache. She had unlocked the door to the basement and descended to find the young couple fast asleep. Rather than waking them, she decided to leave them to their slumber.

As the boy descended the steps, the old woman smiled. "I usually don't let people in during the raids, but when I found out she was pregnant, I couldn't very well turn them away."

"I under…" Sokka did a double take. "PREGNANT?" he demanded, and jumped down the last three steps. He swung the candle in the direction of his sister and Zuko, and blanched at what he saw.

Katara was asleep on Zuko's lap, her hands loosely fisted in his shirt, and her long hair tousled. But what was worse was that the…the fire nation brat had his arms around his precious, innocent baby sister's waist. "I thought I told you not to touch her!" Sokka roared, throwing his boomerang at Zuko's head and missing by mere inches.

Zuko jerked awake, and glared at the Water tribe boy. "So what if I did?" he challenged, and Sokka's face went scarlet.

"Why you…you…you…"

Woken by the boys' screams, Katara lifted her head drowsily. "What's going on?" she asked sleepily, shifting on Zuko's lap so that she was facing her brother.

"W-Wha-What's going on? You should be telling me! Pregnant, Katara? Whose is it, huh? Is it _his_ or… Aw, man! Am I going to have to kill Aang?"

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. "Who's pregnant?"

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Don't, 'whose pregnant' me, missy! What's Dad gonna say, huh? He's going to kill me!"

The old woman chose this point to intervene. "Sir, I really don't think this is any of your business. They're married, after all, and…"

"MARRIED?" Sokka demanded, breathing heavily. "Did I or did I not tell you that I'd kill you if you ever touched her? And what fool married you? She isn't even sixteen yet! When I find him, I'm going to…"

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed, now fully awake. She swung her gaze to the old woman and then back to her brother. "Let's discuss this in private," she pleaded.

"Private? You want to discuss this in private?" Sokka demanded.

Katara stood up, and quickly dusted off her skirt. She then bent and picked up her basket and her brother's boomerang calmly. "Let's go," she told her brother, her voice firm.

She then turned to the old woman, and smiled slightly. "I'm sorry about all this," she said softly, and pulled out two coins from the pouch around her neck. "It's not much, but…"

The old woman smiled. "Thank you," she replied softly, and Katara smiled again.

"No. Thank you," she said before making her way up the stairs.

"Hey! I'm not done with you! And that's my boomerang!" Sokka exclaimed, and Katara grinned slightly to herself.

Zuko sighed, picked up the basket of clothing, and followed the bickering siblings up the stairs and out of the building. Katara refused to speak until they were outside the village gates, and then she whirled on Sokka.

"Zuko did not touch me, I am not married, and I am not pregnant!" she then screamed once they were safely ensconced in the forest.

Sokka blinked. "Huh?"

Katara shook her head. "Don't you get it? We didn't want to be recognized, so we _lied_. We tried to look pitiful so that woman would help us. Nothing wins pity like a poor, pregnant couple."

"So you pretended to have touched her! That still counts," Sokka exclaimed, pointing at Zuko.

Zuko raised a brow. "This is the genius that you were referring to earlier?"

Katara glared at him. "Not helping!"

"If you didn't touch her, how did she wind up on your lap? Huh? Can you answer that one, Mr. 'I have a thousand and one excuses to touch poor, innocent, Katara?'"

"We went through a raid, Sokka!" Katara exclaimed, jarring Sokka out of his murderous thoughts. "The Fire Nation attacked us. We were holed up in that basement the whole time, okay!"

Sokka immediately quieted, and concern instantly filled his face. "Are you alright?" he asked seriously, his eyes softening as he searched his little sister's face.

"I'm fine," Katara replied, dropping her eyes.

Sokka frowned, and gently cupped his baby sister's face, momentarily forgetting about his vow to kill Zuko. "What happened?"

Katara looked away from her brother, unable to meet his gaze. "I relived it, Sokka," she murmured, and her older brother made a noise of comfort in the back of his throat. He gently pulled Katara into his embrace, closing his eyes against the images that swam up to his mind's eye at merely the mention of the South Pole.

"Zuko helped. He was there for me, Sokka. If I would have been there alone, I would have done something stupid and gotten hurt. He protected me," she said, drawing away from her brother's embrace.

Sokka looked past his sister's imploring eyes to Zuko's, and read the truth in them. "What would have happened?" he asked, and Zuko looked away.

"What?" Sokka demanded, and Zuko merely shook his head, before meeting Sokka's eyes, his look telling all. "Oh," Sokka said. Then, he met the fire bender's eyes and swallowed hard.

"Thank you," he said, swallowing his pride, and forcing the words out of his mouth.

Zuko nodded in response.

Katara looked between the two boys and smiled. It wasn't much, but at least it was a beginning.

* * *

Sorry it took so long, but I had exams, and ugh... Anyway, I love all of your reviews and comments. They keep me on track. I'm struggling a bit with Zuko's character, so feedback regarding him helps ALOT. Also, warn me if I move too fast with Zutara. I've tried to keep a lid on it so far, but the ideas are starting to overwhelm me.

Thanks so much!

Sandra


	11. Gone Hunting

Katara sat on the forest floor, a multitude of fabric surrounding her. "You're honestly telling me you don't know how to sew?" she demanded, frowning at a slightly sheepish Suki.

"I'm a Kyoshi Warrior. Housekeeping isn't exactly in the requirements," the girl replied with a shrug as she looked over the piles that surrounded Katara. "If you really want me to try…" she offered, but Katara quickly cut her off.

"No thanks, Suki," she interrupted. Then, she sighed. "This is going to take forever," she muttered under her breath, glaring at the offending fabric.

Toph snorted. "Don't look at me," the girl said, raising her hands in the air. "Blind, remember?" she reminded the other girls, waving a dirty, calloused hand in front of her face for emphasis.

"I didn't ask you," Katara replied, wearily resigning herself to days of sewing. And nothing but sewing. Katara suppressed a shudder. Sokka's pants were bad enough, but this…

"Iroh might be able to help," Suki suggested from where she leaned against a tree.

"That old nut?" Toph replied, though not unkindly. "The old man was Prince of the fire nation. You think he'll be able to sew any more that Hot Shot can?"

"He doesn't seem spoiled," Suki defended herself. "And he can cook, so maybe…"

"Yeah, whatever Fan Girl," Toph muttered under her breath as she plopped to the ground and dug her toes deep into the dirt.

"We really need to work on your hygiene," Suki noted wryly, and Toph grinned as she burrowed her toes deeper into the earth.

"Nah, I'm fine."

"You're covered in dirt," Suki pointed out.

"I like to think of it as a healthy coating of my element," Toph retorted, and Suki sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes. Real healthy," the warrior replied dryly, and Katara sighed sharply.

"I'm trying to concentrate!" she exclaimed, and the bickering girls fell silent as they glanced over at the water bender uneasily.

"What is up with you, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Nothing."

Toph scratched at the inside of her ear, ignoring Suki's noise of disgust. "Listen, Sweetness, your vibrations are crazy today. What the hell happened back there?" the girl asked, wiping her finger on the front of her shirt. Katara grimaced.

"There was a raid! Duh!" Sokka exclaimed, butting into the conversation. "R-A-I-D. Raid. You know, when the fire bending jerks terrorize people?" Sokka said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he casually leaned against a nearby tree.

"Gee, I didn't know that," Toph replied dryly, and Sokka frowned.

"Well, I guess growing up so sheltered kind of dimmed your awareness to things," he noted, stroking his chin in a manner befitting a well versed scholar. He dropped his hand upon feeling two pairs of eyes boring into him, and hearing a sharp sigh from the blind girl. "What?"

"You're an idiot," Toph muttered, pushing herself off the ground and wiping her grimy hands on her already filthy tunic. "An absolute idiot," she grumbled to herself, shaking her head and walking back towards the fire.

"I'll have you know that I'm a…" Sokka shouted at Toph's retreating back, but was interrupted.

"Tactical genius," Zuko finished for him, smirking. "Yeah, we've all heard that one." Toph snickered, and Suki stifled a giggle.

Sokka glowered, and swung his gaze to his sister. "Aren't you going to defend me?"

Katara looked up from her sewing, a needle in her mouth. "Why?" she asked around the needle, managing to sound genuinely confused. Sokka threw his hands up in the air, and glanced over to the campfire.

"Are you going to make dinner?" he demanded, jerking his thumb to the empty pots.

Katara raised a brow. "Are you going to sew?"

Sokka's face became a mask of disgust. "Absolutely not," he replied vehemently, and Katara shrugged her shoulders before pushing the needle through the thread again.

"Then I guess I won't be able to cook for you," she replied simply, and Sokka whimpered. "If you want dinner, make it yourself."

"But I want meat."

"We have dried meat."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Fresh meat," he replied, shaking his head as what he believed to be his little sister's stupidity.

Katara glanced up at him briefly. "So?"

"So!" Sokka exclaimed. "So! You're the one that catches all of the fish around here!"

"Your point?" Katara asked, this time not even bothering to look up.

"My point is that you need to get me my dinner."

"Why don't you try hunting?" Katara suggested, and Toph burst into laughter.

"Hunt? HIM?" she managed past her laughter, and Suki rolled her eyes and touched Sokka's arm in sympathy.

"For what? Groundnuts?" Aang joined in, and Sokka smacked his forehead with his hand.

"Always with the groundnuts! What's wrong with you people? They're perfectly nutritious and…"

"Just admit that you can't hunt," Toph said, and Sokka scowled.

"Never."

Iroh glanced over the children with a smile. "I have a wonderful idea," he said, exiting his tent and sparing a wink towards the girls, letting him know that he'd overheard the 'old nut' part of their conversation. "Why doesn't my nephew join you? Between the two of you, you must be able to snare something," he suggested.

Sokka's jaw went slack, and Zuko grimaced. "No," Zuko said simply, crossing his arms over his chest in defiance.

"I am not going anywhere with Angry Jerk!" Sokka exclaimed, drawing his boomerang as he glared at the exiled prince of the Fire Nation. Zuko casually brought daggers of flames to his hands, and lifted a brow as he glanced over the water tribe warrior.

Thankfully, Katara's voice cut through the tension. "I think that's a great idea," she noted, and Sokka whirled around to stare at her.

"What? You don't think I can hunt either?" he demanded, the pride in his voice masking the hurt. Katara sighed softly and shook her head.

"No. I think you're a perfectly capable hunter… in the South Pole. You're just not used to the flora and fauna of the Earth Kingdom. Zuko, on the other hand, is." She cast both boys a seemingly guileless smile. "Besides, the two of you need some bonding time."

"No." Sokka replied, glancing away. Katara quirked a brow upwards, and Sokka stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest.

"I said no, Katara." Sokka repeated, wilting a little under his sister's gaze.

"Don't look at me like that!" he demanded, and Katara continued to stare at him, one brow raised, as though she knew that he would give in eventually.

"I don't care how long you do that! There is no way in the Poles or the Spirit World that you'll get me to go anywhere with that guy!"

------

"How did she get me to go with you again?" Sokka asked gruffly, barely glancing at the teen beside him.

"She kicked your ass," Zuko replied smugly. "Pathetic."

"She kicked yours too," Sokka retorted, glaring at a speck of dirt on his hand and scraping it off with his nails.

Zuko winced a little, and resisted the urge to touch the back of his head, where the water whip had left its mark. It still stung like a wasp's sting, and he was pretty sure Sokka was having an equally hard time with his rear. "She's brutal."

"Yeah. She doesn't even give a guy warning to defend himself! I mean, how rude is that?" Sokka exclaimed, and Zuko nodded once in agreement.

"Very." The two boys glanced over each other warily, surprised that they agreed on something. Then, they both stubbornly locked their gazes on anything but the other.

"So… how'd a spoiled little princeling learn how to hunt?" Sokka asked after a time, his voice subtly mocking.

Zuko squared his shoulders, and glared at the water tribe warrior. "Uncle taught me," he replied, purposefully not rising to Sokka's bait. "How did a boy from the water tribe _not _learn how to hunt?"

"I did so! I can hunt turtle seals, penguins..." Sokka began, ticking the names of the creatures off on his grimy fingers.

"Penguins?" Zuko asked with a raised brow, barely glancing at the boy beside him.

"I'll have you know that those things move really fast!" Sokka exclaimed. "They're hard to get a good shot at!"

"They waddle," Zuko noted pointedly, and Sokka scowled.

"But _fast_!"

Zuko quirked a brow but said nothing, scanning the surrounding area for prey. Catching sight of a hare, Zuko crouched low, and motioned for Sokka to do the same. Zuko narrowed his eyes slightly, his attention focused solely on the rabbit's movements. He reached for one of the swords strapped to his back, never removing his eyes from his prey, when suddenly…

"I'll do it," Sokka whispered lowly as he walked forward, his boots crunching loudly over leaves and twigs, alerting the rabbit to their presence. The hare jumped out of range just as threw his boomerang, which became imbedded in a nearby tree.

"You're too loud," Zuko observed with a grimace as he stared at the spot that the hare had been in a few moments before.

"Am not," Sokka protested, stalking over to the tree angrily and jerking the boomerang. However, the weapon held fast, and it seemed that the harder Sokka pulled, the more wedged it became.

"It's because you're impatient," Zuko continued, eyeing the boy with distaste. "You need to be aware of all of your surroundings, and be willing to wait for the opportune moment."

"Yeah, yeah," Sokka replied, only hearing half of what Zuko said through his attempt to retrieve his boomerang. "Patience. Katara tells me that all the time," he added, his face screwing up as he pulled at the boomerang with all of his might. He released his hold with a breath, and then kicked the tree. "Let go of it, will you?" he demanded, kicking it again.

Zuko watched Sokka carefully, observing every insane action that the boy insisted on performing. Despite what his sister said, the young warrior was a fool. He sighed heavily, recalling his Uncle's face, his words on how good and potential rested in each individual. That it simply needed to be pushed to the surface in most cases. He could practically hear his uncle in his head, telling him to do the right thing.

Zuko rolled his eyes, but nevertheless made his way over to the boy. "Hunting is a lot like life, you know," Zuko said, "Sometimes, the harder you try to at something, and the more you want it, the easier it gets away from you." He stood beside Sokka at the tree, and looked down at the boomerang. "Sometimes, you just need to learn how to let some things get away." He tugged at the boomerang gently, and it fell into his grasp. "And sometimes, a little gentleness and patience does a lot more than anger and frustration can."

Sokka stared at Zuko, his face a mask of confusion, and then he smirked. "You heard that before, didn't you?"

"Uncle's told me the same thing many times. Except he related firebending to life, not hunting." Zuko looked down at the boomerang in his hands, and then over to the warrior standing beside him. "Try again," he said, holding the weapon out to Sokka.

Sokka eyed it, and stared at Zuko in surprise. He wasn't quite as stupid as everyone believed him to be. For instance, he knew that this was more that Zuko simply returning the boomerang that he cherished. This was Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation, offering reconciliation.

If he couldn't get along with Zuko now, how could the rest of the world accept the occupants of the Fire Nation at the war's end? If the hatred between nations existed after Ozai's death, and after the end of the threat of the Fire Nation's militia, there would never be peace in this world. Reconciliation had to start somewhere.

Pushing his pride aside, Sokka accepted the boomerang with the slightest of smiles.

------\

Katara had been mildly surprised that the pair of weary, bedraggled young men had managed to catch anything. However, they had trudged into camp, and although they were covered in mud, each had a prize dangling from their hands. Zuko a rabbit and Sokka a bird. Not quite enough to feed everyone on, but enough to make a decent stew.

Katara pushed her sewing aside, stretching out muscles cramped from holding a needle and closing strained eyes. "Dinner time, I suppose," she said wearily, standing and making her way over to the pair. Iroh, however, intercepted her.

"Nonsense, my dear! You've been working all day. I'm sure that I can handle making some soup," Iroh said with a chuckle, taking Katara's elbow and gently but firmly guiding her over to her sleeping bag. "You must be tired. Why don't you take a nap?"

"I think that sounds like a great idea!" Sokka exclaimed with an exaggerated yawn, plopping down in the space beside his sister. "Hunting is hard work!"

"Teaching you is harder," Zuko replied blandly, and Iroh nudged his nephew with disapproval and Toph grinned, anticipating a fight. Aang winced on the expression on Toph's face and put his head in his hands.

"Here we go again," the avatar muttered, not daring to look at the two older boys.

To everyone's surprise, Sokka laughed. "When you're not experienced enough yourself!" Sokka replied, his arm over his head, a faint smile on his face.

"Excuse me?"

"Please! You missed that rabbit at least six times!"

"Because you made too much noise," Zuko retorted.

The mouths of everyone in the camp dropped as they looked between the two boys who had been mortal enemies several hours before. Katara propped herself up, glancing between the two. "What exactly happened out there?" she asked, her brow furrowed slightly.

Zuko shrugged and sat down, quickly closing himself off again. Katara's frown deepened, and she swung her gaze to her brother, who also shrugged. "We hunted."

"And?"

"We hunted," Sokka repeated, and Katara rolled her eyes before flopping back down onto her sleeping bag, muttering something about 'impossible, good for nothing brothers' under her breath as she did so.

Toph's face clouded, and she too frowned. "Does this mean you aren't going to fight?"

"Too tired," Sokka replied, and Zuko nodded slightly in agreement.

"What? You spend twelve hours with this guy and you're suddenly all buddy-buddy?" she demanded. "Come on! Your fights are what keep this place interesting! You can't back out on me now!" she exclaimed, and Sokka stared at her.

"Ah! Wimps, the lot of you!" Toph exclaimed, waving the boys off with her hand as she stalked back to her rock tent.

Iroh watched the girl go with a slight smile on his face and then turned to Aang. "Come, pupil. We should begin your firebending lessons," he said, and Aang frowned deeply.

"But you're cooking."

"Exactly," Iroh replied with a cheeky grin. "Firebending comes from the breath and the belly, and your belly needs to be full before you can firebend."

"Uh…" Aang's frown deepened and then he grinned. "Okay!" he exclaimed. "So, can I light the fire?" He asked as he ran over to Iroh.

"It is already lit," Iroh replied, gesturing to the roaring campfire. Aang's grin didn't waver.

"So, can you turn it out and _then_ I'll light it? Please?"

Iroh chuckled. "Patience, young Avatar. Patience."

Katara grinned at the exchange, her eyes softening as she watched Aang's eagerness as he diced the vegetables. His hands moved quickly, and his tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth as it often did when he concentrated. Iroh patted the boy's back with encouragement, and Aang beamed up at him.

Aang really was a sweet child, although Katara could tell that he was beginning to grow up. Ever since Azula had stricken him with lightning, he'd been different. Sure, he was still Aang, but there was a subtle shift in his personality, and from remarks that she'd heard Toph make, she knew that she wasn't the only one to notice.

He was still childish, true, and ever optimistic, but there was a quiet assurance there that had been lacking before. And a sort of calm understanding, as though he now understood and accepted his role in the world, and had made peace with all that he had lost. It unnerved Katara to see him growing and changing before her eyes.

"You're staring, you know," Zuko said from beside her, and Katara jumped slightly when she realized that he had walked over to sit next to her without any prompting. Perhaps Aang wasn't the only one that was changing. Katara found that she couldn't reply to Zuko's observation, so she settled for a shrug.

Zuko remained silent, although he glanced over to where she sat from hooded lids. Sokka lay snoring from a few sleeping bags down, facing his sister in he sleep. Zuko hadn't quite realized the affection and the depth of love that the boy harbored for his sister until earlier that day. He wondered if Katara knew quite how lucky she was to have an entire family that cared… to have others that cared for her as well.

"Do you… have feelings for him?" Zuko asked, nodding his head towards the bald monk.

Katara smiled slightly as she watched Iroh attempt to teach him which spice was which, and her smile widened when she saw Aang scratch his bald head in confusion.

"He's like my brother," she said after some time, glancing over to Zuko warily. "Why?"

Zuko shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable and wishing that he had never initiated the conversation? Why had he, anyway? Because Katara looked lost and alone as she had several weeks before? Because her family looked out for their own and he wanted to be a part of it? The realization threw Zuko for a moment, and he closed his eyes briefly. Yes, that's what it was. Sokka had been different to him in the forest; had actually treated him like a brother in arms. And for the first time in a long time, he had felt…accepted.

"Zuko?" Katara asked, drawing the boy from his thoughts.

"Just curious," he replied with a slight shrug, covering his previous thoughts with nonchalance, as he often did.

Katara shook her head slowly. "No. I don't. One day, maybe, but…" she sigh softly, and glanced away. "I don't exactly want to jump into another relationship," she said, and Zuko frowned.

"Could I ask you something?" At Katara's nod, Zuko continued. "The guy who hurt you…how badly was he injured after your brother got through with him?"

Katara laughed softly, although the sound came out somewhat strangled. "Sokka didn't really get a chance to go after him. When it first happened, I froze him to a tree, and later on, when I actually started to trust him again… The Dai Lee killed him." Katara shook her head slightly to try and shake the memory of his body, bruised and battered from her mind. Of the trademark smirk that had accompanied a grimace of pain; a gently smile aimed solely at her.

"I'm sorry," Zuko replied, his voice genuine.

"That's Jet for you. Suave, charming, horribly conceited, and totally unpredictable. He went to Ba Seng Se to try to have a fresh start, and he winds up in the same boat he was before: killing. But this time…" she sighed softly and shook her head.

"Jet? The Freedom Fighter?" Zuko asked, the name ringing so many bells in his head that he was dizzy.

Katara frowned and turned to Zuko, giving the boy her full attention. "Yeah. Did you know him?"

Zuko smiled humorlessly. "He tried to kill me."

Katara sighed. "Sounds like him," she replied, staring back into the flames, absently kneading the sore muscles in her hands.

When Zuko took one of her hands into his, he was every bit as surprised as she was. He saw her eyes widen, and he repressed the urge to cringe. "I can do that better," he explained lamely, his voice gruff with embarrassment.

Katara glanced from his eyes to her hand and back again. Then, she nodded stiffly, biting her lower lip, the situation growing tenser by the moment. Zuko raised the temperature of his hands slightly, and massaged Katara's, unable to meet her eyes and kicking himself for acting on impulse.

After a moment, however, Katara relaxed and gave Zuko the smallest of smiles. She decided that she liked this side of him: the spur of the moment, kind hearted boy whom she had only glimpsed briefly through Zuko's stoic façade. "Thanks…Zuzu," she said, her voice as warm as his hands.

A corner of Zuko's lips turned upwards slightly at the nickname, and he suddenly decided that he didn't mind it quite so much as he used to.

"Don't worry about it, Kaya."

------

Sorry about the time between updates. Between taking care of three kids, art school, and working, writing's been kind of put on the back burner.

I know Zuko was completely OOC this chapter, but I'm still struggling horribly with his character. As always, feedback is extremely appreciated. Let me know what you liked, what you hated, and what I can improve on. After all, it is your reviews that shape the chapters!

Sandra


	12. Fitting In

"Have you received word, Captain?" Azula asked, lightly tapping her nails together, her eyes focused on the letter before her. She heard the man clear his throat, and suppressed a smile at the knowledge that he, a seasoned war veteran, was intimidated of a fifteen-year-old girl.

"Bison sightings, your highness," he reported, his hands clasped formally behind his back. "However, the sightings are…erratic, to say at best." Azula continued to tap her nails together, and the Captain shifted slightly, causing the corners of her mouth to twitch upwards.

"Erratic?" she questioned, her tone friendly, but her eyes dark and dangerous.

"Yes, Highness. It appears as though they were at the Eastern Air Temple to reach Chameleon Bay and..." he cleared his throat again when he saw the young princess' eye twitch and her hand tighten into a fist. "…hinder our progress," he finished, choosing his words carefully. 'Since then, only obscure, superstitious villages have reported catching sight of the Avatar."

Azula glanced down to the letter that her father had sent her again, and her eyes narrowed. "Is there any pattern to the sightings whatsoever?" she demanded, her tone beginning to lose its cool and calculating edge. Behind her, Ty Lee's smile was forced just a bit wider, and Mai shifted in her seat, glancing away as she toyed with one of her daggers.

"I-uh- If several of the reports are to be disregarded, it would appear that they are heading southwest."

Azula lifted a brow, but didn't comment. "You may go," she said when the man had begun to squirm. The Captain bowed quickly, turned on his heel, and strode out the doors of the throne room of Ba Seng Se.

The instant the door shut behind him, Azula was on her feet, her father's missive disregarded as she paced. "Southwest…" she muttered to herself, barely sparing a glance towards her companions. "Why would he head in that direction? I would have thought that the Avatar would try to take back Ba Seng Se or Omashu at least!"

"Maybe he's taking a joyride?" Ty Lee suggested with her ever present smile, a leg swinging back and forth over the edge of the dais.

Azula whirled around to glare at the girl, and Ty Lee shrugged. "Or maybe not," she replied, her smile still in place. Beside her, Mai rolled her eyes and made a noise of disgust. Ty Lee stuck her tongue out at the older girl, who rolled her eyes again before resuming toying with her knives.

"He wouldn't be foolish enough for that. The stakes have risen in this little game of ours, and the Avatar knows it." She paused, and clasped her hands in front of her in a mockery of demureness as she continued to pace. "No… more like he is assembling an army, informing them of the Day of the Black Sun. The shortest distance from the Earth Nation to the Fire Nation is at the westernmost coast…." The rest of her words were lost on her two friends who looked at each other briefly and shrugged.

Suddenly, Azula jumped out of her pacing and muttering to stalk over to a map, snatching a list of the names of the villages the Avatar had supposedly been seen in on her way. Once there, she proceeded to plot a course from the names of the insignificant little towns, and then turned to her friends, a slight smile gracing her pretty features.

"They stop roughly once every three days," she announced, pointing out the distances on the map. Her two friends made their way over to look at what that Azula was gesturing to.

"If the reports are correct, they should be landing here," she said, pointing to another place on the map, a smirk twisting her pretty face into something dark and malevolent.

"We intercept them," Mai said, and Azula glared at her furiously for taking the words out of her mouth before calming herself and nodding.

"Yeah! Finally, some adventure!" Ty Lee exclaimed, bouncing up to her toes and gripping Mai's shirtsleeve.

Azula glanced down to the map, at the little town named Ta Sung. "We end this now," she whispered harshly, staring at the point in the map. The point at which so much would be decided.

------

"Exactly how old is this?" Iroh asked, glancing over their map with some amusement. There were some places that he'd never heard of before; others that he had known were destroyed over fifty years before.

"A hundred and…something," Aang replied with a slight shrug, scratching at his head, and wincing when the short brown spikes pricked his fingers. Toph had stolen both his and Sokka's razors, and so Sokka had a ridiculous looking miniature mustache while Aang had discovered his hair color was a light shade of brown. He hated it.

"Oh, an antique!" Iroh exclaimed, staring at the map with an appreciative gleam in his eye. "And it is in such good condition!"

Zuko rolled his eyes and glanced over the side of the flying bison before blanching and snapping his gaze to his lap.

"Fear of heights?" Sokka asked with a smirk, and Zuko glared at him.

"Fear of spiders?" he retorted and Sokka flushed, remembering his decidedly unmanly scream when he'd found a rather large specimen in his sleeping bag the night before.

"I am not afraid of spiders. I just, uh… I have allergies to them is all. Every time I see one, it makes me, uh… sneeze," he attempted to explain himself, and Toph snorted.

"I don't need to feel your vibrations to know your lying, Snoozles," the girl replied dryly, much to Sokka's chagrin.

"Oh, you should see him around puffer fish," Katara said, a grin on her face. Sokka's own expression morphed into one of horror and then he forced a grin, shaking his head. Everyone ignored him.

"He thought one was a ball when he was little, she he grabbed it right out of the water. One of the spikes sliced his finger open, and to this day, he can't look at one without twitching. It's hilarious, really."

"I do not twitch!" Sokka protested, and then lightly touched Suki's arm. "Come on, honey, who are you going to believe? Me or _her_?"

Suki smiled at Sokka and patted his hand. "Any other phobias that I should know about?" she asked Katara, grinning slightly at Sokka's grumbling.

"Well…" Katara began, but Sokka quickly cut her off.

"We were looking for somewhere to stop for supplies, remember?" he said, trying to salvage as much of his dignity as possible. Iroh winked at him, and then gestured to the map again.

"This looks nice," he said, gesturing to a small town on the map. "Thickly wooded on all sides, far away from the coast…"

Sokka nodded in agreement. "Sounds perfect." He squinted to make out the name, and then frowned. "Ta Sung? I've never heard of that before."

Zuko snorted. "You haven't heard much of anything before," he said, and then added under his breath: "I'm surprised that you can even read."

"Just because we're peasants doesn't mean we're ignorant you know," Katara said, tossing her braid over her shoulder and leveling a good natured glare at the boy.

Zuko crossed his arms over his chest and merely raised an eyebrow in response to her statement.

"Besides, our father is the chief. That doesn't exactly make us peasants," she added.

"Forgive me, Princess Katara of the oh so revered Southern Water Tribe," Zuko replied dryly, bowing his head in a mocking fashion. Toph snorted out her laughter while Iroh sent his nephew a scolding look.

"Funny, Zuzu," Katara grumbled under her breath. "Real funny."

Aang glanced between the two and rolled his eyes before turning to Iroh. "So… have you ever heard of Ta Sung?" He asked, trying to draw the assembled group's attention back to the task at hand. Momo tugged at Aang's ear, and the boy absently stroked him as he waited for Iroh's response.

"Of course not. That's why it is so perfect," Iroh replied with large smile, and Aang couldn't help but to return it.

Aang then shrugged slightly, and then glanced around the rather tightly packed and close-knit group. "So, does everyone agree to stopping at Ta Sung?" he asked, and there was a general noise of agreement.

Katara then glanced over the side of Appa's saddle, and then turned back to Aang. "Why don't we stop there for the night?" Katara suggested, pointing to a small clearing where a river flowed nearby. "There's both earth and water there, so you can practice with me and Toph, and when you're done with us you can start firebending with Iroh."

Aang made a face at the mention of more work, and Katara and Iroh chuckled at the expression. He was the avatar, but ultimately, Aang was still a child. "I believe that may be a good idea," Iroh added, and Aang nodded reluctantly, and cast his teachers a sheepish smile "Besides, we could all do with a bath," he said, gesturing around the mud covered group.

"Ah, we're not that bad," Sokka said, waving Iroh off.

"Have you _smelled _yourself?" Zuko scoffed.

"Well, you smell the same way I do."

"I think we smell fine," Toph added, and both Katara and Suki laughed. "Ah, you girls and your hygiene. I'm with Sokka on this one."

"Come on, Appa," Aang said, airbending himself back to his saddle and grinning at the antics of his traveling companions. "Let's pull in for the night." He ruffled the big bison's fur, and Appa rumbled softly in pleasure. Momo, not one to be left out, flew after Aang and settled on the boy's shoulder and pushed his nose into Aang's ear in his demand for affection.

Upon the descent, Zuko clasped his hands closer together, and Iroh lightly patted the boy on the back in comfort, but made no mention of his nephew's fear. When the group finally landed, they set about the usual tasks of pitching camp, despite Toph's usual complaints.

By the time the sun was halfway down in the sky, a fire pit had been made, the tents were all erected, and Appa was grazing in the field. While the rest of the group had taken some time for themselves, Aang and Katara made their way down to the river.

"It's been a while since we did this," Aang said with a slight, nervous smile as he stepped into the water beside Katara, avoiding making eye contact. Katara frowned at Aang's behavior, but she followed him anyway, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder as she did so. Aang blushed, and flinched away, making Katara's frown deepen.

"Too long," Katara agreed, eyeing the young Avatar warily. "Let's start with the octopus," she suggested, drawing the water around her up into the position of tentacles, and Aang did the same.

Katara was the first to attack, and Aang just barely managed to swipe one of her streams of water away with his own. "Come on, I know you can do better than that!" Katara exclaimed with a grin, and the corners of Aang's mouth quickly spread to match.

"You surprised me is all," he defended himself, dropping the octopus position to summon a large wave. As it began to crash over her, Katara spread her hands and the wave split through the middle, dropping harmlessly on either side of her.

"Uh huh," Katara replied, her grin never wavering as she drew a water whip into her hand and snapped it once, playfully, before turning it loose on Aang. The young Avatar then drew a shield of water to himself, and rendered Katara's attack harmless. "Good job!" she encouraged, and Aang's smiled widened at her praise.

Suddenly confident, the boy's attacks increased in intensity, so that Katara wound up having to work hard to deflect them. "Very good," she panted, and then held up a hand to halt his next attack. "I think we're through for today," she added, smiling slightly, and pushing a sopping strand of hair back from her face.

"So soon?" Aang replied, sloshing over to her, the grin on his face wider than she'd seen it in a while.

"You're getting too good for me," Katara replied with a laugh, comfortably resting her hands on his shoulders. Aang squirmed slightly, the blush back with full force. Katara noticed, but said nothing. Rather, she lightly patted his cheek in a sisterly fashion before turning away from him and heading out of the river.

"You've just about mastered water," she threw over her shoulder as she walked. "I'm very, very proud of you." Aang beamed at the praise, but then his expression fell slightly as he watched her go. An ache filled his chest, and he quickly stared back down at the ground. Every time he thought that he had gotten over her, she just had to go and say something that made him fall in love with her all over again.

"Ah, there's those vibrations again." Toph's dry comment shocked Aang from his thoughts, and he smiled sheepishly with a shrug of his shoulders before remembering that she could see neither. Toph sighed harshly and shook her head. "Come one, Twinkle-Toes. Time to hustle," she said, stalking away from the river.

Earthbending with Toph. Oh, joy. Aang looked back one last time in the direction that Katara had left before he took a breath and followed Toph.

-----

Mai toyed with her knives, letting the sharp blades roll across her fingers as she stared at the view her private balcony afforded her. The city of Ba Seng Se sprawled out for miles before the great walls prevented it from spreading further. Mai, however, could see three smaller walls that enclosed the city: the ones that surrounded the Lower, Middle, and Upper tiers. Funny how a city so adamantly against war with her country promoted a class war within itself.

Mai sighed, rolling the knife one last time before she caught the hilt in her palm and threw it up into the air, the blade catching the sunlight. It had been polished nicely, she realized absently. Only days before, this shining, sleek blade had been coated with a combination of poison and dried blood.

Blood… not long ago it had been Zuko's blood that stained her knives. Mai closed her eyes and suppressed a shudder at the memory. When he'd rejoined them, she'd been glad. Gladder than she would ever admit to anyone. Of course, Azula had known… she always knew.

Ever since Mai been a small child, Azula had taunted her about her feelings towards Zuko. Every day, she'd dealt with a jibe, a snide remark, a not-so-subtle prank. Though embarrassing, it had been bearable in those early days. But something had changed within Azula.

Mai didn't know how or when it had started, but Azula had changed. She could remember when they were young, the late Fire Lady Ursa had played tea party with them more than once. And Azula had smiled, called the woman Mama, and had the fierce devotion to her mother that was common of little girls.

By the time her mother had disappeared, Azula didn't care one way or the other about the woman.

She remembered a time when Azula and Zuko would hold hands, when they loved and protected each other with the love of all siblings. Azula had stuck up for her brother when Mai or Ty Lee made fun of him, and he had returned the favor. But on the day of the Agni Kai, the young princess had actually gloated about her brother's injury. And the expression she had on her face…

Mai gripped her knife tighter for a moment before continuing to toss it. Never had she seen her best friend look more alive than when Azula had told her and Ty Lee what had happened to Zuko. And the things she'd said to Mai afterwards… the almost feral smile on her face whenever she reminded Mai of the incident… she knew she'd never be able to forget them.

She continued to toss the knife, counting each throw. Despite the horrible things the princes had said and done, Azula had always been there for her. When her grandmother had ridiculed and demeaned her, when her mother had sent her away for years at a time, Azula was always willing to offer a hand up. It was Azula who taught Mai how to block out pain, how to ignore the world around her. Where Ty Lee would get emotional and throw her arms around the girl, Azula had been the constant presence, never pitying, always understanding.

Sometimes she hated Azula for the things she did, for how she hurt her. But then she would remember that the princess had been her anchor in the darkest times of her life, and the anger and bitterness would fall away. Azula was both her enemy and her closest friend.

Quite honestly, she didn't quite know what to think of her friend. Mai caught the dagger from mid-air and examined it in her palm before tucking it away. _Sometimes_, she mused, _it's better not to think at all_.

-----

When Katara had strode into camp, her long brown hair swinging behind her, Zuko had glanced up once briefly before looking back down at the broadswords that he was sharpening. A second later, however, his gaze snapped back upwards and his mouth fell open at what he saw.

Katara…sweet, innocent, little Katara was prancing around half naked. Zuko's eyes widened considerably, and he snapped his mouth shut. "Wha-What… What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, cursing himself for the heat that rose to his cheeks.

The Water tribe girl frowned, and then cocked an eyebrow at him as she folded slim, copper arms over her chest. "Excuse me?"

"You…You're…" He started again, but stopped, and waved his hand over her.

Katara's frown deepened as she dropped her arms back down to her sides and surveyed herself. "What's wrong?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Iroh chuckled slightly, and then smiled at Katara warmly. "My nephew has never seen a young woman in her undergarments before," he explained for his nephew, who glared at him. "At least… I don't think he has," he added good naturedly. On cue, both Katara and Sokka's faces screwed up with distaste at the thought of Zuko with _any_ woman.

"Uncle!" Zuko protested, staring at his sword to hide the heat blooming in his cheeks.

"Well, I don't see what's wrong with it. I dress this way all the time," she said before gracefully taking a seat beside her brother and swiping a speck of dust away from her underskirt. "Especially when I'm bending. Do you have any idea how heavy those robes get when they're waterlogged?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, and studiously kept his gaze averted from the teenaged girl and her budding curves. "No wonder the Avatar is doe eyed when you're around," he muttered under his breath, and Iroh shook his head in disapproval. Zuko hunched his shoulders at the silent reprimand and continued sharpening his swords.

Sokka frowned at the exchange, and then looked over his sister carefully. There was no doubt that she was…growing… in certain areas, and the undergarments she wore did little to hide the fact. He then glanced over to Zuko's still flushed cheeks and his frown darkened. "Katara, put on your robe," he said, and Katara glanced over at him.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

Katara crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly, and leveled a glare at her brother. "You've never minded before," she reminded him huffily, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"That's because you were only traveling with me and a monk!"

At this Katara laughed. "You honestly think… Oh, La, Sokka. Zuko doesn't look at me that way," she said, gesturing over to a banished prince who was desperately wishing that he could crawl in a hole and die at that present moment.

"Robe. Now."

Katara rolled her eyes, but pushed herself to her feet, mumbling about 'idiot older brothers' as she did so. Sokka swatted her leg in response to the comment, and then glanced back down at his boomerang as his sister stalked off. Once he was certain she was out of earshot, he turned to level a glare at Zuko.

"If I ever catch you looking at my sister _that_ way, I'll kill you," he said simply. "Now toss me that rock. I want to sharpen my boomerang."

Zuko gaped, and Iroh chuckled. _Ah, the tribulations of adolescence. I really don't miss those years. Now, my young adulthood… now _that's _worth reminiscing on. _

Meanwhile, Suki spotted Katara from her spot at the river as the young waterbender marched by. Jumping to her feet with the slightest of smiles, Suki followed the girl. "What's eating you?" she demanded, and Katara rolled her eyes.

"Sokka."

Suki laughed at the one-word reply. "What'd he do this time?"

"Oh, he's just being his overprotective self," Katara replied, shrugging on the new tunic that she'd made for herself in shades of cream and soft green. Sokka had gaped when he saw how it clung just a little too close in places and had attempted to order her to start over. She'd adamantly refused It was only when he saw Suki in a style similar to his little sister's that he'd finally stopped fussing.

Suki smiled a little at Katara, and then surveyed the girl in her new clothing: A lightweight, cream, long-sleeved undershirt, a soft green tunic with slits up to the girl's hips and brown leggings underneath. A wide sash of braided cream and brown was belted at her waist, completing the ensemble. Were it not for her blue eyes and Water Tribe necklace, the girl could easily pass for being Earth Kingdom.

"You sew well," Suki commented, and Katara flashed the Kyoshi warrior a grin.

"Wish I could say the same for you," Katara replied, and her friend gave her a playful shove. "So… has Aang talked to you lately?" Katara asked, not bothering to hide her concern as she yanked on her boots.

"Why? You interested?" Suki teased, and then laughed when she caught the look Katara was throwing her. "No, not really. I mean, we talk, but… we're not close." She paused, and then lifted a brow. "Why?"

Katara shrugged. "He's been acting strange lately," she replied with a slight shrug. "For a while there, things got back to normal, but…" she shrugged again. "It's just…I worry about him."

"Understood. But the little guy's got the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's going to cave in every now and again," Suki replied, and Katara nodded in agreement.

"Sometimes I wish I could make it all go away. Every time I look at him, I see the little boy who begged me to go penguin sledding, who fought tooth and nail against being the avatar. And I just…"

"You want to make it easier for him," Suki finished. "I understand." The Kyoshi warrior sat down beside Katara and sighed. "I feel the same way about Sokka."

"Sokka doesn't…" Katara started, but Suki held up a hand.

"That boy has a lot on his plate. More than he'll ever let either of us know. And he hurts, a lot. He tries to cover it up with his sarcastic comments and, well, whatever else it is he does," she said with a wave of her hand, and Katara smiled. "But I can see through the act. And my heart breaks for him. But he won't let me in and…" she trailed off and let out a deep sigh.

"I know," Katara replied, her voice heavy. "Ever since Mom died, Sokka's been…" she sighed. "Let's just say that if I'm the glue that holds our family together, Sokka's my rock, the one that I draw my strength from. And I know it takes a lot out of him. And after what happened with Yue…"

"Yue?" Suki asked, her brow furrowed. Katara's eyes widened, and then she glanced away.

"Oh," was all she said, studiously avoiding her friend's gaze.

"Who is she?" Suki asked, her voice coming out just a bit too demanding and jealous. Both girls cringed.

"Ask Sokka about her some time," was all Katara said, before she pushed herself to her feet. Then, she smiled and shook her head. "We're pathetic, aren't we?" she asked, and Suki laughed.

"Definitely."

------

"Concentrate, young Avatar," Iroh instructed. "Firebending comes from the breath." Iroh took a deep breath, moving his hands in tandem to his inhale and exhale in order to demonstrate the concept to his young pupil. "You must learn how to breathe correctly."

Aang shrugged uncomfortably, and breathed in deeply, his small chest puffing outwards as he pulled in a large gust of air and then…he promptly choked and coughed until his face turned red. Zuko groaned from the log he was sitting on, and Iroh placed his head in his hands.

"Come, Aang. In and Out. Push and Pull, Tui and La."

"But that's waterbending."

"Firebending too. Now, breathe," Iroh replied patiently, and Aang nodded. This time, he took a smaller breath, but one large enough so that he could feel the faintest trickling of fire in his belly, just as Iroh had taught him. "Good," Iroh encouraged clapping his hands together in pleasure.

"Now, feel the fire?" at Aang's nod, Iroh continued. "Reach out towards the fire. Concentrate now. Fire is deadly, and must be controlled with the utmost…"

"Hey look what I can do!" Aang exclaimed as a fireball shot out of his hand. With his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, he waved around with his other hand, making the flames shift shape into small balls before he proceeded to do his infamous marble trick.

"…caution," Iroh finished, shaking his head at his young pupil, and remembering a time when Lu Ten had done something remarkable similar.

Lu Ten… Iroh's chest constricted at just the thought of his son, cut down before the boy could realize his full potential. He was a good boy, and could have been a great firebender if only…

"Aang!" Iroh exclaimed, a bit gruffer than he had intended as he forcibly withdrew himself from memories of a better time. "Do not trifle with Fire. It can grow out of proportion and…"

Aang immediately stopped manipulating the flame in his hands and curled his fist, making the fire disappear altogether. "I've learned that lesson already," the boy said softly, remembering when he had allowed himself to lose control. Katara had been hurt. Aang could still hear her cries as she had cradles her burned hands against her chest… "I won't make the same mistake twice," Aang concluded, and Iroh nodded sagely.

The sun dipped down in the horizon, and Iroh stretched before smiling at his young charge. "As the sun sets, so do its people," he informed his student, who quirked a brow.

"We rise with the sun and rest when it sets," Zuko said, standing from his position on the log and stretching out the kinks in his back. It had been a _long_ four hours of observing the avatar, the boy on whom their futures rested, get a grand total of nothing accomplished. Besides beginning to understand how to breathe correctly, that is.

"Oh… Does this mean I'm done?" Aang asked, a huge smile spreading across his features.

"Yes," Iroh replied, finding that he couldn't resist the urge to smile back at the boy.

Aang let out a whoop, and bounded across the field, leaving the two firebenders alone together. Iroh caught his nephew's look and smiled at the boy. "Aang's young yet. He'll learn," he said, and Zuko rolled his eyes before stalking off.

Iroh watched the boys go with a smile on his face, and his heart feeling lighter than it had in ages. Finally, it seemed that he and Zuko had found a place that they belonged.

----------------------

**A/N: **First off, let me say a huge thank you to my beta, Vicki So. For those of you who haven't read her Avatar triligoy, please do so. It is an amazing Zutara work, and one that I could personally read a hundred times over and never get bored.

Also, you guys should be happy to know that I have the rest of the action for the story mapped out. As of the next chapter, the pace will be picking up dramatically.

As always, your views, opinions and suggestions are welcomed. I figure that the more input I get from my readers, the happier I'll be able to make you guys.


	13. Taken

"This is a bit…bigger than it seemed on the map," Sokka observed, looking over the two story brick buildings and bustling shopping center of down town Ta Sung. A group of Fire Nation soldiers leaned against the wall of one of the buildings as a young man rushed down the center street, a pouch of gold in his hand, the owner of the pouch hot on his heels.

"Why am I not surprised?" Toph replied with a grimace of distaste as she spat onto the –surprisingly- paved road. Suki rolled her eyes at the girl, and Sokka quickly moved his foot away from the offending spittle.

"Well, bigger's better. We'll be able to blend in, at least," the young avatar replied with a shrug and a smile as he rubbed the growing hair on his crown. The smile slipped a fraction at the feel of the spiky stuff beneath his fingers.

"Do we ever really blend?" Sokka pointed out, and Aang huffed out a sigh and shrugged sheepishly.

"Well, we do a little better now than before," Suki pointed out, gesturing to the group's' new clothes, courtesy of Katara. Sokka glanced over his and grimaced.

"Green really isn't my color," he complained, and Toph roughly punched his arm. Sokka scowled in response and clutched his arm close to himself, but he didn't dare hit her back. A boulder hurtling towards his head would blow their cover, after all.

"We need to move fast. Purchase supplies, send a letter to Dad, and go," Katara said, moving to stand between her brother and the blind earthbender. "Something about this place gives me the creeps," she said with a slight shiver, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Kat, you're paranoid," he replied with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Besides, we deserve a chance to lean back and relax," he added with a slight wink as he wrapped an arm around Suki's shoulder and raised a brow suggestively. Suki flushed, and Toph made a gagging noise before pushing her way forwards.

"I would agree with Katara," Iroh said, making Sokka's shoulders droop slightly. "We have only a few months until the comet's arrival, and we need to make our way to the swamp as quickly as possible." Iroh glanced around the town, and then beamed. "But I suppose we could stay long enough to find a good tea shop," he added.

Zuko groaned and shook his head, and Iroh frowned. "Is something bothering you, dear nephew? Perhaps there is a medicinal specialist that can take care of your problems." Zuko glared, and then a sly grin blossomed onto Iroh's features. "Or would the affections of a lovely lady heal your ills?"

Zuko flushed, and his glare deepened. "Uncle!" he shouted, horrified, and the group laughed at his embarrassment.

"I don't see why you're so set against it. A lady friend would be good for you…"

"The last one was a disaster," Zuko muttered under his breath.

"That was your fault. On that note, I don't see what was so complicated about the relationship. There was mutual attraction. She was a nice girl…" Iroh started, and then glanced towards Sokka. "And not bad looking either," he added with a sly wink.

Sokka felt his stomach turn, and he stepped away from the old man. "Creepy," he whispered to Suki, who nodded once in agreement.

"What part of me being…" Zuko glanced around, and then rolled his eyes. "Suffice to say it was _very_ complicated, Uncle. Now, please," at this point, the prince's voice was actually pleading. "Drop it."

Iroh raised his hands as in surrender, and Zuko let out a sigh. Then, the old man just had to say, "But Katara is a very lovely girl, don't you think?" with a conspiratorial wink towards the waterbender in question.

On cue, the pair flushed, and Zuko let out an agonized 'uncle' just as Sokka shook his head and said, "Not going to happen."

Iroh raised his hands again, but grinned as though he had uncovered some dark secret. Zuko closed his eyes against the sight, simply knowing that the elder man would have all sorts of questions and not so subtle hints in store for him later on when they were alone. He would make sure that he and Sokka went hunting again tonight.

"First tthing's first. We need to find a message bird so we can keep in contact with the water tribe and earth kingdom armies," Katara said, purposefully avoiding eye contact with both firebenders. Sokka nodded once at her comment.

"I'll handle that," he offered, and Katara flashed him a smile.

"Iroh, could you visit with the Order of the White Lotus again?" she asked, and Iroh nodded with a huge smile before he glanced over towards his nephew, one eyebrow raised in question.

"I'm with Sokka," Zuko said quickly, and the water tribe warrior clapped him on the back in what Zuko hoped was a friendly manner.

"Aang, we need you to scout around and look for some Earthbenders willing to join the war while we're here," Katara said, and Aang gave her a slight grin as he agreed.

"Toph, Suki, and I are going to be heading towards the market to pick up some supplies." She said, glancing over to the other girls for their approval. At their nods, she continued. "Let's all meet at the town square once the sun dips in the horizon," she finished, and the group replied in affirmation.

With several exchanges of farewell, the group split in four, and each made their way in separate directions with the promise of their meeting looming over them.

-------

"Hey, 'Zula!" Ty Lee exclaimed, bounding into the small room that Azula had 'borrowed' for the duration of their stay in Ta Sung.

"Azula," the princess corrected tonelessly, not bothering to glance up from the myriad papers that surrounded her. The warrants for her brother's arrests littered her desk, as well as a great many from her father demanding to know what was going on with his 'sniveling fool of a son.'

Azula had not yet written him of his son's betrayal, and she was burning both ends of the candle to keep the news from reaching him.

"What 'cha doing?" Ty Lee asked, leaning over her friend's shoulder to peer at the paperwork.

"Thinking," Azula growled. Zuko had grown smarter since she had last seen him, she'd give him that. Her plan to forcibly remove him from his inheritance had fallen about her ears when that water tribe brat had sailed off with the Avatar, taking her brother and her uncle with her.

If it hadn't shown incompetence on her part, she would have gladly informed her father of Zuko's defection. However, since she had failed to capture the avatar herself, she didn't dare risk informing him. She was well acquainted with his punishments, after all.

There were the beatings, of course, but that wasn't what she feared. It was the psychological torture that he put failures through that made terror twist and writhe within the young princess' gut. He may not hurt her, but he would most certainly hurt those close to her.

Azula snuck a glance towards the pink clad acrobat beside her, and suppressed a shudder. She'd had a kitten like Ty Lee once, when she'd been about five. Zila had been pure white, and Azula had loved her more than anything else in the world. The first time she'd truly disappointed her father in one of her Firebending Sets, he had lit Zila on fire and forced Azula to watch as her cat had burned to death. It was one of the princess' earliest memories.

She had no doubt that he would do the same to Ty Lee should she fail him on a grander scale.

"You're always thinking," the acrobat said with her trademark grin, and she perched herself on the arm of her best friend's chair.

"You're never thinking," Mai replied from her seat across the room as she twirled her knives over her fingers. Ty Lee stuck her tongue out at the girl, and Mai rolled her eyes.

Azula forced her friend's bickering out of her mind, and focused at the task at hand. She gripped the newest letter that her father had sent her, the one informing her to her upcoming nuptials to a distant, much older cousin of hers. He was a prince, capable, and would make a good ruler. Or so her father said. With that one letter, it became painfully clear to Azula that Ozai had never intended for her to rule.

That would not do at all.

Should her father sign the kingdom over to Han Yu, all of Azula's carefully constructed plans would be laid to waste. However, Zuko's return with the Avatar would alter all that their father had begun to plan for her. He would be forced to recognize Zuko as his heir, and Han Yu would be out of the picture.

Should Zuko return fate would favor him, but only for a time. Once their father was dead, Azula could wrench the reigns of power away from her brother and rule the Fire Nation herself.

Azula smiled grimly. "I think Zuzu may be of use to us, after all." she said coolly, turning to face her friends. Mai dropped her dagger, her eyes widening before she quickly her face into a carefully neutral expression while Ty Lee cocked a brow.

Azula turned to face the pocket sized portrait of Fire Lord Ozai that she had hung upon the wall above the desk. The man who had given her life, and who she already had begun plotting to kill. Azula smiled bitterly as she stared at the likeness. _Aren't you proud of the monster you created?_

---------------

"You have no idea where you're going, do you?" Zuko demanded, his shoulders hunched against the scrutiny of some nearby guards. They had been wandering aimlessly for some time now, and Sokka adamantly insisted that he knew the city like the back of his hand. Even though he'd never been there before.

":Of course I do!" the boy exclaimed indignantly, glaring at Zuko. "We're…uh… by a jewelry stand and we're heading North."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "That's it. I'm getting directions."

"Oh, no you're not!" Sokka retorted, marching forwards and gripping Zuko's bicep. Seeing that their antics had attracted unwanted attention, Sokka shrugged, smiled, and waved before quickly moving on. "We'll find it on our own," he insisted.

Zuko said nothing, and absently wondered why it was that he thought going anywhere with Sokka would be any more bearable than waiting for his Uncle. "So…about my sister…" Sokka began, and Zuko bit back a curse.

_I should have gone with Uncle, _Zuko thought as he suppressed a grimace and forced his body to be relaxed and natural. "Yes?" he forced out.

"Should I be worried? Your uncle seemed to think that…"

"My Uncle has roped me in to one date too many. No offence, but I'm not going to let him manipulate me into starting something with Katara," Zuko replied, reasonably proud of himself since his voice came off as easy and without the stress that he felt at that moment.

"So we're clear?" Sokka asked with a raised brow. "No uh…"

"None." Zuko replied, and this time he didn't need to force any sincerity into his voice. He may enjoy _looking_ at the Water Tribe girl, maybe even thinking about her, but to actually have a relationship? Not a chance. Besides, the kid had first dibs, and he wasn't about to get the Avatar angry. Or give the girl's brother an excuse to hurt him. Or allow Uncle to be right about something _again. _

"Good," Sokka replied with a whoosh of air and the tension slid out of his shoulders. Zuko noticed, and gave the boy a half smile in return. "So… what was this about the girl you knew?"

Zuko groaned, and placed his head in his hands. "It was Uncle's fault," he replied gruffly, and Sokka laughed before clapping the banished Prince on the back.

"Explain," he replied with a large, goofy grin, eager to have another male to talk to for once whose experience with girls went farther than simply traveling with his baby sister.

"We were in Ba Seng Se, in my Uncle's Tea Shop, and this girl started hanging around. She somehow got Uncle to convince me to go on a date with her. And once Uncle gets his mind set on something, there's no ignoring him."

Sokka nodded, the grin still present. "Was she pretty?" he asked, jabbing Zuko in the ribs and making the elder boy both scowl and flush.

"I guess so," he replied with a noncommittal shrug. "Her hair kind of had a life of its own, though," he added, remembering the tangled mass that she had thrown up carelessly.

"What happened?" Sokka prodded, and Zuko grimaced. "What? I won't laugh." Zuko shot him a look that was clearly full of disbelief. "Scout's honor," he said, lifting his hand into the air.

Zuko huffed out a sigh. "She asked me what I did before I came to Ba Seng Se, and…"

"And?"

"I told her I was a juggler!" Zuko blurted, flushing.

Sokka choked back a laugh. "Then what?"

"She made me juggle, and food got everywhere," Zuko admitted, his shoulders hunching at the shame of the memory.

Sokka made a strangled noise, his face turning red, before he burst into laughter. "Sorry," he apologized when he could breathe, and met Zuko's scowling face. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, I fell into a canal when I asked this girl in the North Pole out on a date."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. But she said yes anyway," Sokka replied with a grin as he cracked his knuckles.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "What happened with her?" he asked, and watched Sokka's face fall.

"She was engaged. And then, just when we had started to sort that one out, she became the moon spirit," Sokka replied, forcing levity into his tone. That didn't fool Zuko for an instant.

"Compared to that, Jin was pretty uncomplicated," Zuko said, and Sokka gave him a half smile and a shrug.

"Girl troubles, Zuzu?" The dulcet voice sent shivers down Zuko's spine, and a plume of flame instantly ignited in his palm.

"Azula," he growled, and Sokka immediately withdrew his boomerang, moving to stand beside Zuko.

"Making some new friends, I see," the young Princess taunted, glancing down at manicured nails and pursing painted lips. "Whatever would Father say if he knew his only son was traipsing around with little peasant boys?"

"Dude, you've got a seriously whacked family," Sokka grumbled under his breath as he gripped his boomerang tighter and strengthened his stance. Zuko didn't bother to reply.

"So, are you ready to turn yourself in? Father may show you some mercy," Azula continued as though she hadn't heard Sokka's statement.

Zuko's glare deepened and he looked past his sister to her two cronies. Mai looked comfortable in her fighting stance, her daggers held loosely in her hands. Her eyes were guarded, and trained solely on Azula. He willed her to look at him, to give him some indication as to what his sister was doing, but her gaze never wavered.

He then turned his gaze to the pink clad one. Ty Lee bounced slightly, and the young acrobat was busy alternately making eyes at Sokka and pouting when he didn't glance her way. Zuko shuddered slightly, and looked back to his sister again. "Never," he replied, his voice hard as steel.

Azula quirked a brow. "Well then. It appears I've wasted time on pleasantries. You will be coming back to the Fire Nation with me, Zuko. One way or another." She dropped her arms down and spread her palms, smiling as she felt the heat of flame daggers through her calluses.

Sokka cursed, but readied his boomerang for the attack as Zuko leapt forward, palms outstretched. A wall of flame erupted between his hands and he shot it towards Azula who easily deflected it with a casual wave of her hand.

"Surely that can't be all you've learned," the princess taunted, and Zuko's face darkened as he readied a fireball. Azula smirked at his preparation, and formed one of her own. The two plumes of flame met in mid air, exploding and releasing intense heat. Zuko reeled back, lifting his hand to his face to block out the blinding light.

Sokka likewise stumbled backwards, his eyes squinted. However, he regained his sense of sight before Zuko, and threw his boomerang in time to deflect one of the knives sent be the tall girl in dark robes. Zuko whirled around, caught Sokka's boomerang, and sent it flying back towards the Water Tribe boy before snapping fire daggers into his own hands.

Brother and Sister's gold eyes met for the briefest of seconds, and Azula smirked as she rushed forward. The siblings twirled around each other, fire in their palms, in a never ending dance of hatred and jealousy. Then, they leapt at one another, a flurry of words and flame.

Sokka wrenched his gaze away from his friend, and forced his attention on the two girls standing before him. The dark one looked calm and collected as she through her knives, forcing him to deflect them with the steel of his boomerang and duck when the intensity of the attacks became too much for him.

The pink one, he noticed through the sweat on his brow, wasn't moving. She stood silently, a smile on her face and a hand on her hip as she regarded him with interest. Sokka felt his stomach churn unpleasantly at the attention, the feeling distracting him enough so that Mai landed a shot.

Sokka gripped his arm, remembering with horror what had happened to his sister at the hands of this girl's poisoned blades. His eyes narrowed, and he threw his boomerang at the girl with his good arm, thanking La that his father had taught him to be ambidextrous.

Surprised by the attack, the boomerang made contact with Mai's midsection, slicing the area under her rib cage and making her cry out in pain. Sokka reached out for his weapon on its return, but his arm fell limply to his side. He glanced over his shoulder to see Ty Lee, her pretty face contorted into rage as she jabbed him in all of his pressure points.

"Never mess with my friend!" she seethed, kicking his now limp body onto the ground before rushing back to her fallen friend.

Dazed, Sokka watched the girl go, and closed his eyes against the tenderness the young acrobat showed when she ripped off a piece of her tunic and wrapped it around the dark girl's middle. He ignored the soothing words that she spoke, and the gentle brush of her fingers against her friend's forehead.

They were the enemy. He didn't want to see them in any other light. He turned his attention back to the duel between brother and sister, and winced slightly against how it had gone.

Both siblings had made their mark on each other; that was for sure. Azula had a bruise blossoming across on of her delicate cheekbones, and her gaze was dark and furious. Zuko, however, was quite obviously worse off. He had a blackened eye, a split lip, several burns upon the pale skin of his arms. He was breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his brow from both the heat of his element and exhaustion. With every strike and parry, Azula made her superiority known.

Sokka was watching his newest friend and addition to his family fail, and there was absolutely nothing that he could do about it.

Drained, Zuko plodded forwards, his arms moving of their own volition. He forced himself to stay erect despite the pain of the wounds his sister had inflicted on him, but he knew what the outcome of their battle would be.

He was going to die. If not now, than the moment that he stepped foot on his homeland. Executed at the word of the man who had given him life, and taken his freedom. There was a twisted irony in that fact.

Zuko didn't notice when Ty Lee crept up behind him, and not even Sokka's shout of warning was enough to save him from the acrobat's quick jabs. He fell to the ground, his golden eyes narrowed as they stared up at his younger sister. And for the briefest of moments, he saw them for what they used to be. A brother and sister who genuinely loved and looked out for each other, who played games and kissed goodnight, who held hands as they skipped stones in their mother's garden. But then he was brought back to reality, staring at a stranger with a familiar face who was about to end his life.

_What happened to you? _Was his last thought before blackness descended.

---------------

Katara sat at the fountain's ledge, absently trailing her hands through the water that it held. She glanced up towards the sky, which was quickly darkening, and then turned towards the assembled group. "Where are they?" she asked, and Suki rested a hand on the girl's shoulder in comfort.

"They're fine. Knowing Sokka, they probably just stopped somewhere and lost track of time," Aang said with a shrug, and Iroh didn't bother to point out the fact that Zuko would have come back on his own.

Rather, the old man smiled and resolved himself to put aside his own worry to set the children's' minds at ease. "They're two healthy young men. They were probably distracted by a pretty face along the way," he replied with a slight wink towards Katara.

Suki crossed her arms over her chest and her glare darkened. "He'd better not have," she merely said, but her tone was so feral and dangerous that the group knew that if Iroh's suggestion was the case, Sokka would be missing several limbs come morning.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Aang murmured, and then smiled innocently when Suki pinned her glare on him. "What?" the Airbender asked with wide eyes. "I just said that…uh… Appa flies high." He beamed at the fuming warrior.

"Smooth, twinkle toes," Toph said, and then the assembled group fell silent. Toph could sense each person's dread and fear, but she didn't remark on the vibrations that she was picking up. No news was good news, after all. Or so she tried to encourage herself.

In truth, the mere thought of Sokka in danger set her stomach to clenching and all of the spittle of her mouth drying. Her palms were sweaty, and she, Toph Bei Fong, felt as though she were on the verge of tears. The young earthbender clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, hating the way her body betrayed her. Hating _him_ in a twisted way.

"Yeah, they're probably fine," the blind girl managed gruffly, but she could tell that her words had little impact on her friends. And for once, she truly didn't care.

Then, the group's worst fears were realized.

A lone figure was limping towards them, cradling one arm. His clothes were torn and his face full of desperation. Katara was the first to turn and see the young man, and when she did, her breath caught in her throat.

"Sokka!" Katara shouted at the sight of her brother. In an instant, the older boy was in her arms and she was clinging to him for dear life.

"What happened to you?" she demand her voice choked by her tears as she clung tighter.

Sokka didn't answer her. Rather, his gaze shifted to that of Iroh's. Gently, he pushed his younger sister aside. "Azula found us," he said, and nervous gasps rose from the assembled group. "They have Zuko."

Iroh felt his gut clench, and his world whirled around him for a moment. His nephew, taken. The boy would be executed, of that he had no doubt. Bile rose to the old general's mouth, and when he had finally calmed himself to some degree, he was made aware of the conversations swirling around him.

"What can we do?"

"We need to go after him!"

"How do we even know where they are?"

Their voices swirled around in Iroh's mind, and he couldn't tell who was speaking and who was not. The desire to tell the children to rush to his nephew's rescue was so strong that it made him tremble not to speak up. But, he forced himself to remain silent.

"They left a trail." This time, Iroh managed to notice that it was Sokka's voice that he heard. "We could follow it to where they're staying and break him out!"

There was a general noise of agreement, and Iroh swallowed hard.

"No!" he exclaimed, and the children fell silent as they turned to regard him. "My nephew is in Agni's hands now." He forced the words out, and felt a part of him die as he did so.

"What?" Sokka demanded heatedly. "You're just going to let them kill him?"

"Uncle! We need to rescue him. We can't let him die!" Katara broke in. Toph and Suki remained silent.

"They're using him as bait, just as they did with you, Katara. The Avatar is…" Iroh closed his eyes and swallowed hard, "…more important to the world than my nephew. If our roles were reversed, he would say the same."

Katara stared at the old man, her eyes wide and her mouth working soundlessly. Sokka put an arm around her, he too rendered incapable of speech.

"What do we do?" Suki asked, and Iroh attempted to smile at the young warrior. It came out a grimace.

"Return to camp. Zuko may be able to escape on his own." He paused, and then looked away. "Hopefully," he added in a whisper.

_Agni protect my nephew… my son. _


	14. Revelation

Cold water splashed against his face, making Zuko start and cough. "Wake up, Zuzu," came his sister's voice, and Zuko felt a bubble of panic rise in his chest. Where was we? How did… The previous day's events came back to his mind, and Zuko felt his mouth dry.

He cracked his eyes open, but found the world around him to be blurry. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes tightly before opening them again, and his surroundings swam into focus. He was in a basement of some sort, or so the dark atmosphere and dirt floors made him assume.

"Good. You're awake," Azula's voice came, calm and collected. Zuko turned his head towards the sound, but found that he was restrained. His hands were chained behind his back to a metal loop in the wall, and his neck was shackled in a similar fashion. The panic within him mounted, and he had to force himself to remain calm.

"I apologize for your…uncomfortable accommodations, but I couldn't risk your escape." She said, languidly walking into his line of vision. "The Blue Spirit is quite skilled at that sort of thing, or so I am told," she added, a smile curving upon her painted lips.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zuko managed gruffly past the lump in his throat, and Azula knelt down before him.

"Don't you?" she asked, a smirk on her pretty face. Her eyes bore into his soul, and Zuko found it impossibly hard to return her gaze. Nevertheless, he refused to glance away. Azula smirk widened, and she gracefully rose to her feet.

"You're stronger than I gave you credit for," she admitted, and Zuko glowered. Azula caught the look and made a noise at the back of her throat. "And don't worry. I haven't told father."

"About what?" Zuko muttered, and Azula smiled.

"About anything. About your…nightly masked escapades, about your recent betrayal," her fingers began to tap together again, the noise making Zuko cringe. "This is all between just the two of us."

Zuko's glare darkened, and he spat at her lizard skin boots. "Liar!" he accused, and for a brief moment, Azula's rage showed clearly on her face. Then, she quickly smoothed out the lines and the habitual smirk returned.

"Most of the time," she conceded. "But not now. You see, brother, I find myself in a very rare position. I actually _need_ you for something." At Zuko's furrowed brow, she chuckled lightly. "Amazing, isn't it?"

Zuko's glare never wavered, but he remained silent.

"You have what I want. The Avatar."

Zuko hissed between clenched teeth, and his gaze went to the floor. Had it only been weeks ago that his main pursuit in life had been to hunt down this child who had become like family to him? He glanced over to his sister, and felt a rare surge of pity for her.

"He isn't a possession," Zuko retorted. "He is a human being..."

"Is there really a difference?" Azula demanded, her voice cool. "Aren't we all just the possessions of the gods? Mere pawns in the greater scheme of life?"

"He is a child!" Zuko spat.

"And so are we," Azula replied calmly. "But aren't we pawns in this war? Possessions of our dear father? Isn't your Avatar a pawn of the resistance? Do they care that he is a child?"

"They won't kill him!"

"And neither will I," Azula replied, and Zuko frowned darkly. Azula chuckled. "Really, Zuzu, what use is he to me if he is dead? What would the point be? He would just be reincarnated and a decade from now we'd be in another war."

"So you'd keep him prisoner."

"He would be comfortable."

Zuko glared at her. "But he wouldn't be free," he replied, his glare darkening once more.

"Would he be free if he won the war? Would he have the ability to ever do as he wanted?" Azula challenged him. "No. The rest of his life would be spent serving others, settling disputes. He wouldn't be _free._" She paused. "None of us are free."

"We could be," Zuko retorted, and Azula laughed humorlessly.

"No, Zuko. We could never be. If the resistance won, our homeland would be in ruins, and we would be slaves to our guilt. If we won, we would be slaves to keeping the other Nations under control. Which is the worse fate?"

Zuko remained silent, and he willed his brain to keep from mulling over his sister's arguments. He had acted on her words the last time, and look at what had happened. He, duped by his sister, was nearly tricked out of his inheritance, and his uncle almost executed. _I will think, Uncle. I will not be rash… I owe you that._

"Zuko, I have a plan. You have what we need most. The Avatar's trust. Continue to journey with him; learn all of his flaws and weaknesses. Discover the battle strategy of the resistance. Then, report to me…and to Father."

Zuko stared away, his face impassive.

"Think of it Zuko. After a hundred years, the war would finally come to an end. Our family could be together again." Her voice was persuasive, impossibly so, but her words rang hollow.

"Family?" Zuko laughed bitterly. "What family?" he demanded scornfully, and Azula drew back as though she had been slapped.

Then, she spoke without pretense, without a mask of calm or a smirk on her features. Zuko was painfully brought to realize that this girl before him could have been so different. She could have had her mother's smile and her uncle's laugh. But Zuko pushed the thoughts aside, having no use for 'could have beens.'

"Remember the Fireworks, Zuko?" Azula was saying, "When you and Lu Ten and I used to watch them when we were little?" she asked, her voice softer than Zuko had heard it in a long time. "When Mother and Father used to hold us and smile?" she continued, her voice low. "When we all loved each other?"

Azula swallowed hard. "_That_ is the family I'm talking about. The one we were before war and ambition drove us apart. With the war over, things can go back to how they used to be."

Zuko closed his ears against her voice, almost childlike now in its plea. _Azula always lies._ He thought, chanting the word mentally as though the mantra would keep her poisoned words from infecting his mind.

"Zuko, you're a part of our family. Rejoin it. Give me the Avatar, and I will give you your _life_ back," she continued, her voice earnest. And for the briefest of moments, Zuko believed her. He wanted to more than anything in the world. And then he recalled all of the words she had spoken before, and how they had been, in the end, merely words.

Zuko swallowed hard, and narrowed his eyes. "Never."

-----------------------------

The camp was silent, save for the crackling of the flames of the fire. Sokka threw twigs into it absently, staring into space, Suki's hand resting on his knee. She too had little to say, and preferred to stare at the flames.

Iroh had retired to his tent shortly after their arrival, and had only come out once: to tell the children that they still needed their messenger pigeon. Suki had volunteered to return to Ta Sung, and Iroh had disappeared once more.

Katara glanced around the campsite, her hands feeling like lead as she looked back to the paper balanced on her lap. Her penmanship was sloppy, as though her hands had been made of wood. It certainly felt that way. Attempting to ignore the knot in the pit of her stomach and the bitter taste in her mouth, Katara finished the letter and then gently stuffed it into the tube attached to the pigeon's foot. Without a word, the girl thrust the pigeon into the air, and watched it fly away with an ache in her heart.

_Zuko._ The name sent a shiver down her spine, and she crossed her arms over her chest to stave off the cold, numbing feeling that fear brought to her. She hadn't realized it before, but Zuko had truly become one of them. He was a part of her family, and it seemed incomplete without him there.

Katara swallowed hard, and closed her eyes tightly. _Zuko._ With every beat of her heart, she heard his name, felt a new wave of terror wash over her. This was torture, real and true torture. To think, it was only several days ago that Sokka had teased him about his fear of heights, only a few hours ago that Iroh had been insinuating that they had a relationship. And now, she had no idea what was to become of him. Beatings at his sister's hand, grotesque forms of torture, execution…all of the possibilities rose to her mind's eye and made her gag.

She had never truly realized just how much that boy meant to her until the moment that she learned that he had been taken. She had never felt such raw fear for a person before in her life, even when Aang had been kidnapped. Then, she had control. She was surrounded by her element, and it was a battle of three against one. But this…she was completely helpless, and she hated it.

If something was wrong, Katara was the type that had to fix it. She could heal injuries, and could soothe a troubled spirit. She had a strong personality, but had a stronger sense of empathy.

She hated that she could do nothing, hated the ache that grew in her heart every moment that the boy was away.

Katara sighed sharply and wrapped her arms tighter around herself. She could only imagine what Iroh must be feeling.

The man was so kind and so gentle that it was hard for Katara to imagine how he dealt with the anguish she was feeling. He seemed fragile in so many ways, unable to bear the burden of the uncertainty and pain of their situation. And yet, Katara also knew that he was made of steel; that the fire of his element blazed within him. Perhaps that was what was getting him through.

Katara glanced over to his tent, chewed on her lower lip. She could see the flicker of a candle through the thin fabric, and the outline of the old general's hunched form. Katara swallowed back tears and glanced away briefly before looking back to the tent again.

On impulse, she stood quickly and made her way over to the tent, barely acknowledging Sokka's questioning look as she moved past him. She paused before the entrance of the tent, before gently pulling opening the flap and stepping within. Iroh turned to face her, and the red, blotchy skin on his face informed Katara that he had been crying.

However, he gestured for her to come closer, and Katara did so slowly. When Iroh finally spoke, his voice was hoarse and cracked. "I had a son, once," he said softly, patting the space beside him. Katara sat where he had indicated and waited for him to continue.

"Lu Ten," he added, and Katara could hear the thickness of tears in his voice. "He was a good boy, patient and loving…a great sense of humor…" he chuckled softly, but the laugh sounded forced and strained. "You two would have gotten on well. He, like you, lost his mother at an early age, and never truly got over her death."

Katara saw a tear trickle down the old man's weathered cheek, and she reached for his hand and gripped it tightly between her own. She felt her own throat constrict at the pain in his voice.

"When he died, I lost all hope; all purpose. I loved that boy…" his voice faltered, and he had to struggle to continue. Katara gripped his hand tighter, running her thumb over the back of it in an effort of comfort. "…so much that I thought I would die without him. You'll find out one day, when you have a child of your own," he continued, lightly chucking Katara's chin.

"If it hadn't been for Zuko, I probably would have given up. But he needed me. He always had. And…and now…he needs me and I can't….I can't…" Iroh's voice became choked once more, and he couldn't continue. He gripped the young girl's hand tightly, and didn't bother to hide the tears that streamed down his face.

Moved to tears by the older man's distressed and by the grief in her own heart, Katara reached for him and enfolded him in her arms, giving him all of the comfort that she could. "Uncle," she whispered, crying just a bit harder as he clung to her tighter, the feel of the sobs wracking his body filling her with his grief.

She didn't bother with false assurances, because neither of them needed that right now. Hope, Katara had learned, was a dangerous thing. If you hoped too much, you would be crushed. In times like these, it was better to see things for the way they were, and how they would most likely be. Miracles were the gods' business, not theirs.

And so she did all that she could do, held him as she would hold a small child and was there for him as he grieved the loss of his sons.

-----------------------

Zuko had lost count of how long it had been since he'd seen the light of day. Morning and night had slurred together down in the dankness of the basement, where he could count the time only by when he slept and when he awoke. He had not been fed since he'd been brought here, nor given anything to drink.

His tongue was swollen, his mouth dry, and his belly sunken with hunger. He felt feverish half of the time, and had no doubt that several of his wounds had become infected. A gentle prodding of his side that resulted in puss covered fingers proved his suspicions.

Azula came to him every so often, asking him if he had changed his mind. The answer always remained the same, no matter what words she attempted to use to seduce him to her way of thinking. He would never betray those that had been the first to show him kindness since his exile.

The one time that he had spat on that pretty little face had resulted in long, bleeding scrape across the side of his face from her perfectly manicured fingernails. He wondered just how angry she was that she would have to retouch the polish.

He heard the door creak open and then close, as well as the soft sound of a female's footsteps treading down the stairs. Zuko bit back a groan at the thought of seeing his sister again. He closed his eyes tightly, resolving that she would have to work to get a reaction out of him this time.

But when a soft, cool hand gently cupped his cheek, he jerked slightly, and his eyes opened wide. Mai sat before him, black hair gleaming down her back and a light night-robe wrapped about her slim form.

"Don't make a sound," she whispered, glancing nervously towards the stairs. She reached within her robes and withdrew a canteen of water. Uncorking it with her teeth, she held it up to Zuko's dry, chapped lips. "Drink slowly," she instructed, cupping the back of the boy's head as she tilted the canteen upwards.

Heedless of her advice, Zuko guzzled the liquid that his body had been craving. "Slow," he heard her murmur, but he didn't pay any attention. Within several seconds, however, he realized his mistake as he began to cough, the water bubbling out of his mouth and soaking his chin.

Mai sighed softly, and gently wiped his face with the sleeve of her robe. She didn't chastise him, didn't scold him for refusing to listen to her. Rather, when Zuko next looked towards the girl, she was holding a loaf of bread in her hands.

She broke off a bite, and placed it against the banished prince's lips, her stomach quivering as they brushed against her fingertips. However, she forced her expression to stay neutral as she continued to feed him mechanically. She only fed him half of the loaf before tucking it away, resolving that Azula wouldn't notice if so little was gone.

"Water," Zuko rasped, and Mai lifted the canteen to his lips once more. This time, he took slower, smaller sips, but still was not sated once the canteen was empty.

"You must give into her," Mai whispered lowly once she had hid the empty canister in her robes once more.

Zuko shook his head weakly, but his voice, although hoarse, was determined. "No."

Mai's heart plunged to her stomach at his adamant refusal. "Zuko, you must," she pleaded, gently cupping the sides of his face between smooth, elegant hands. "Look at what she's done to you already!" The girl's mask of nonchalance quickly slipped off of her features, leaving the expression of a desperate young woman.

"I can't," Zuko replied evenly, glancing away. Part of him wondered if Azula had sent Mai here to attempt to persuade him, but one look into the girl's eyes made that notion die away. Mai wasn't that good of an actress. Her skills revolved more around the fighting end of the spectrum.

"Please," she pleaded, her voice catching in desperation as she moved closer to him. Close enough for Zuko to see, even in his fevered state, that she was near tears. "If something happened to you, I'd…I'd…" she trailed off, her breath hitching in the back of her throat.

Zuko met her eyes with a cold glare. "Why do you even care?" he demanded harshly, and she quickly hushed him and glanced above, her body tense. Hearing nothing, she allowed the tension to go out of her body.

"Zuko, listen to me. Your father wants to place Han Yu on the throne. You remember him, don't you? He is crueler than Admiral Zhao. Rumor has it that he has a torture chamber that he uses on innocent members of the lower classes." She was rambling, she knew, but she couldn't stop herself.

"If you go back with the Avatar, Fire Lord Ozai will be forced to recognize you as his heir. Azula wants Han Yu out of the way. Zuko, she's desperate for your help! She'll starve you to death if that's what she believes will get her what she wants," she babbled, and then she fell silent as she felt the heat of Zuko's stare.

"So she can wrest the reins of power away from me?"

"She won't kill you. In her own way, Azula wants her family back together just as much as you do. You may not see it, but I know her, Zuko. Yes, she has her issues, and yes, I worry about her sanity, but she wouldn't kill you. She may not even steal the throne from you. She's been toying with the idea of using you as a type of puppet king."

This time, when Zuko spoke, it was a fraction gentler than before. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, and saw Mai flush even in the dim lighting of the basement.

Mai swallowed hard against the bile rising in her throat, and she distracted herself by gently toying with Zuko's long, dark hair. Her fingers trailed gently from the black locks to frame his face once again. Her right hand spanned out the length of his scar, and she closed her eyes in remembrance of the day that he had received it. She opened her eyes again once the memory had subsided, and she felt her stomach knot as he met her gaze.

"Mai?" he asked softly, as though he understood her trepidation. But, Mai realized, he was oblivious of her affections.

Rather than saying anything, Mai closed the space between them and kissed him softly. His lips were rough and chapped against her own, but she didn't care. She had dreamed of this moment her entire life, although she had never guessed that her first kiss would take place in a dank basement with a bruised and bloodied man.

She softly moved her lips over his, hooking one of her hands behind his neck while the other remained pressed against his cheek. And when she felt him respond, ever so softly, to her embrace, she felt as though she had captured a piece of paradise.

When she pulled away, she had tears in her eyes, and she found it hard to look at the boy before her. The look on Zuko's face morphed from one of complete and total shock, to understanding, and then sympathy.

"I…" he began, and Mai hushed him by placing a finger against his lips, warm now from her kiss.

"I know, Zuko," she whispered sadly. "I know." She had known since they were children that her feelings were unrequited, but she knew that if she heard him say it aloud, it would shatter her.

Zuko swallowed hard, pity rising hard and swift for this girl before him. She was pulled every which way, her heart torn in two different directions. But, although battered by the storm, she remained strong. They were similar creatures, he realized, and the thought made his dry lips crack into the smallest of smiles.

"Please, Zuko, accept her offer," Mai pleaded once more, and now Zuko understood the catch in her voice, why she seemed so close to tears. And then, she whispered so low that he could barely hear her, "I can't lose you. Not again."

Zuko didn't reply; he couldn't. And when Mai gently touched his cheek again, he angled his head slightly, giving her permission to kiss him one last time. It was the only comfort that he could offer her, for he couldn't betray Aang. Not even in the face of her love.

--------------------------

In the dark of the night, Fire Nation soldiers slunk through the trees, dressed in the garb of the Earth Kingdom. Sokka, bundled in his sleeping bag with Suki curled up in his arms, didn't hear them. Toph, in her rock tent, passed out from exhaustion and fear, could not sense them.

Neither the Dragon of the West or the young Waterbending Master who had fallen asleep beside him was alerted to their presence.

It was only Appa and Momo, the two beasts that the soldiers cared little for, that noticed the intruders. However, they sensed no danger and so they made no noise. The soldiers marked their maps and disappeared back into the dense green of the forest, covering their tracks quickly and efficiently.

They had gotten what they had came for.

Aang shifted in his sleep, gripping Appa's fur just a little too tightly. Appa growled softly, his tone both annoyed and affectionate. Aang cracked open one gray eye and lovingly rubbed the beast's fur.

"Good boy, Appa," he murmured as he slipped back into slumber's embrace.

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I do believe that this is the fastest that I have ever updated! And yes, I know that it was a short update. Sorry. But when I sat down to write, the entire chapter just poured out. That has never happened to me before.

First, I'd like to say a huge thanks to everyone who's been following this story diligently... All 106 of you according to my stats (not including those who don't have this on Story Alert). Now, here's the sticks. **I AM NOT UPDATING ANOTHER CHAPTER UNTIL I GET AT LEAST 20 REVIEWS.** Stinks, right? But, I love getting constructive criticism, opinions, suggestions, and, yes, compliments. But lately, I haven't been getting any of the above quite as much as I'm used to. Hence the ultimatum. :D

Thanks so much for reading, and I'll catch you next chapter!

Sandra Evans


	15. Betrayal

"_Zuko, why are you crying?" Zuko sniffled and furiously wiped his tears away from his sleeve when his mother entered his bedroom. He stiffened when she sank down beside him and gently wrapped her arms around his trembling form. And then, in the warmth of her embrace, he lost all control of himself and wrapped his arms around her. _

"_I…I…" Zuko couldn't continue. Rather, he buried his head in his mother's breast and allowed his tears to stain the red silk of her robes. _

_His mother gently set him away from her and tipped his chin upwards. "You can tell me anything, you know," she said softly, and Zuko nodded tremulously, but he stayed silent. _

"_Zuko?" he heard the gentle lilt of his mother's voice, and finally surrendered. _

"_You left me," he whispered, staring at his lap. When he next glanced up, he saw tears running down his mother's face at the accusation. Instantly regretful, Zuko reached up to wipe the tears from his mother's pale, elegant face. His hand passed right through her. _

"_Mom?" Zuko cried out, reaching forward, but his hand passed through her as though she were made of air. His mother was fading, bit by bit, disappearing as though she had never been there. "Mom!" Zuko shouted, throwing himself at her. His mother's arms opened to embrace him, but he fell through her image to the opposite side of the bed. _

_Dazed, Zuko stared at his mother, his eyes blurry from tears. She was speaking to him, but he couldn't hear the words. Tears ran down his face, and he reached towards the remains of her image again, now almost completely gone._

_And then, there was nothing. Just the red canopy of his bed and the silk sheets in which he slept. And then Azula entered his room, taunting him. "Miss your mommy, Zuzu?" she mocked over and over, her voice growing loud and swelling in intensity so that it was all that he could hear…_

Zuko jerked awake, tears streaming down his face just as they had been in his sleep. That dream had been played over and over in his head ever since the night after his mother had disappeared, never to be seen again. At times, her mouth would move frantically, as though she needed to convey to him some important message, and at others she spoke with a smile on her face, as though she were unaware of her dismantling.

Zuko closed his eyes and breathed out a harsh sigh. At times it felt so real, but it was just a dream. _Only a dream._

"Zuko?"

Zuko jumped at the familiar voice, and lifted his head so quickly that he saw stars behind his eyes. "Go away," he grumbled as the image of his mother materialized out of the shadows. Out of one dream and into the next. So his life had gone since he'd been chained in this spirits forsaken basement.

"Zuko, listen to me," his mother's voice came again, and Zuko steadfastedly stared at the ground, willing himself to wake up. Or perhaps he was awake and this was delirium. "Zuko," the image insisted, its voice authoritative.

Out of sheer habit, Zuko swung his gaze upwards, and his breath caught at how real this mirage looked. The same golden eyes, the same waist length black hair, why, even the same expression on her face. "You're not real," he challenged, and the image shook its head.

"No."

"You're not my mother," he added, and the image shook its head once more.

"Who I am is of little consequence," it replied, and Zuko frowned deeply, the premature lines on his brow creasing deeply.

"What is of importance is what I have been sent to say," the image continued, fading from that of his mother to an indistinct, blurred form. "You have a choice before you, Prince Zuko, one that could save or damn the world. I caution you. Choose wisely."

Zuko groaned, closing his eyes and praying to Agni for strength. "What are…" He opened his eyes, and found that the basement was empty once more. Zuko let his head drop limply, and his body sagged against the metal hook behind him. "I'm going crazy," he muttered to himself and his eyes slid closed.

He slid in and out of consciousness throughout the course of the day, and luckily, it was in one of his lucid moments that Azula entered the room.

Zuko was sitting on the floor, hands behind his back, fevered and near delirious when Azula next came into the room. It shamed him that the girl saw him in a position of such defeat, but he didn't have the strength to move.

"Have you changed your mind?" she asked as she always did. Zuko grit his teeth, and said nothing. Azula smirked. "Come now, Zuzu. You can't be stubborn for forever."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Watch me," he rasped past a dry throat and swollen lips, his weak voice filled with defiance.

This time, however, Azula's smirk did not waver. "Oh, but Zuzu, I know something that you don't," Azula replied in a lilting, almost mocking tone. She clasped her hands and moved forward, settling unconsciously into a loose fighting stance.

Lacking the strength to reply, Zuko merely glowered. And then, he realized that something was amiss. Usually, when Azula made her way down into the darkness of his prison, she was alone. This time, Mai and Ty Lee were flanking her, although their forms were obscured by shadow.

"You see, I know where your campsite is," Azula revealed, her smirk widening at Zuko's sudden look of horror. "Under other circumstances, I would kill you. But, as I have already informed you, you are a factor in one of my plans. So, I have been forced to make a different choice."

Zuko's fevered mind was having trouble grasping the meaning of her words, and he lazily swung his gaze to Mai. Her eyes, as per usual, were trained solely on Azula, and her face gave nothing away. She showed no sign of her affections for him, and a part of Zuko wondered if their encounter had been nothing but a dream.

"You don't know where they are," he rasped defiantly, hoping against hope that she was lying again. When Azula then proceeded to give him the precise location, as well as descriptions of their tents and even the crockery lying about the fire, the banished prince's face drained of all color.

Azula ignored Zuko's silence and continued. "If you do not surrender to me, I _will_ kill them."

Zuko laughed dryly, which then became a coughing spasm. For an instant, he caught the look of concern on Mai's face, but it quickly morphed back into one of nonchalance. When he recovered, he glared back up at Azula, a smirk touching the corner of his lips. "Aang will go into the Avatar State. You can't kill any of them."

"Perhaps. But I have the most skilled archers in the world at my disposal. An arrow through the throat while the little boy is asleep should so the trick quite nicely, I think," Azula replied coolly, and Zuko felt all of the blood drain from his face.

"You're loyal to that motley gang, Zuzu. If nothing else, you have proved that. So, what will it be? Surrender to me, and I'll spare them. Defy me just once more, and they die." Azula's smirk widened when she saw the sudden pallor of her brother's skin.

"I expect your decision within the hour," she threw over her shoulder as she walked away from him and back up the creaky, old stairs. There was a brief flash of light as the door opened, permitting the three girls to enter the building above his head. And then there was only darkness.

Zuko stared at the stairs that his sister had gone up for a long time after her departure, his mind at a stand still. Betrayal of the gang would surely spell the death for all that they had worked so hard to achieve; it would kill the relationship that he had developed with them by the war's end. And yet, should they be killed, Zuko would lose the only family that he had been completely accepted into since his mother's death.

Save or damn the world… the words from his daydream came back to haunt him, and he grit his teeth. Would the world be damned if the Avatar died? Or would it be damned if the Avatar lost the war? Wasn't it damned both ways for all but the Fire Nation? Clearly, Azula won both ways. So which was the better choice? To allow them to die, or for them to hate him for all eternity?

Zuko's fevered mind ran over images that he had gleaned in his time spent with the gang. He saw Sokka sharpening his boomerang and pretending he was a man in the light of the day, and he saw the same warrior staring up at the moon in the dead of the night, a broken boy.

He saw Suki, her golden fans flying about her in a deadly dance as she fought phantom assassins in the woods. He saw the gentle pressure she placed on Sokka's shoulder when the boy was feeling low, saw them curled into each other's arms at night.

His mind recalled the image of Aang flying about on his air scooter, and showing off some cockamamie _thing_ that he had supposedly invented. He remembered the time when Iroh had attempted to teach the boy to breathe like a Fire Bender, and Aang had tried and failed miserably.

He saw Toph, tough as the rock she bended during the day. He heard her gruff young voice teasing the gaang with words like Sugar Queen, Snoozles, and Twinkle Toes. And then he remembered hearing the soft sobs coming from her earthen tent at night when she believed that no once could hear.

He saw Katara, innocently walking around the camp in her undergarments, the wet, white cloth clinging to areas that were best left for the imagination. And her, oblivious to what she was doing to his head as she sat beside her brother with a guileless smile. He thought of her capacity to forgive, to love unconditionally. He remembered the feel of her soft, brown hands within his own as they sat before the campfire.

Zuko laughed humorlessly. He was supposed to have a choice in the matter? _What choice?_

-----------------------------

"I'll do it," Zuko said when Azula walked back into the room. The girl grinned unabashedly at his surrender.

"Excellent," she replied, her pleasure evident in her voice.

"But I have a few conditions," Zuko added before his sister could say any more. As he watched her face darken, he further realized the severity of his predicament and the fact registered in his mind that cold hearted Azula would hardly wish to listen to ultimatums delivered by her prisoner.

To his surprise, although her eyes narrowed dangerously, she replied, "Name them."

Stunned, Zuko sat in silence for a brief moment before coughing roughly and then swallowing hard past the lump in his dry throat. "The Avatar will be treated kindly after the war, and I will be in charge of his treatment."

Azula chuckled softly. "Father isn't going to like that very much," she replied dryly.

Zuko leveled a glare at his sister. "I think we both know that Father isn't going to live very long past the end of the war," he replied roughly. "If he was in your plans, I wouldn't be." He watched his sister's smirk widened, and felt his stomach turn when she nodded once in agreement.

"Go on," she replied, the surprise evident in her voice as well as a trace of misplaced pride.

"Uncle is re-instated as a Prince of the Fire Nation and all charges against him are dropped," he added. Azula's calm expression replaced by a glower of displeasure. Zuko noticed, and lifted a brow. "No Uncle, no deal," he replied, knowing that he was in no position to be ordering his sister around, and understanding that one day it would bite him in the arse.

"Agreed," she finally said, her tone now dark and brooding. "Anything else?"

"I'm in charge of what happens to the rest of the Avatar's companions. Not a hair on any of their heads gets touched without my permission," he finally added, and he saw Azula's face flush.

Her tone, however, was calm and cool, and betrayed none of the anger that she so obviously felt. "This is war, Zuko. Accidents happen."

"Keep them from happening," he retorted, and Azula, surprised at his outburst, delicately raised a brow before nodding to his demand.

"Is that all?" she asked, the sarcasm evident in her voice.

"Yes," Zuko breathed, and he now had the distinctly sick and horrible feeling that he was betraying everything that he had come to love and cherish. He fell into a coughing spasm, weak and light headed now that his time for strength had come and gone.

"I agree to all of your terms, Zuzu," Azula said once his chest had stopped his heaving. "But, if you double cross me, death will be too good for you. The avatar will be thrown in the darkest cell in the darkest dungeon that the fire nation has to offer, and he will be tortured for the rest of his life. You will watch as Uncle is executed before the entire Fire Nation, and you will be forced to participate in the festivities afterwards. You will sit at dinner with the Avatar's companions as they are poisoned, and you will be locked in that room with them until every last one is dead.

And poison…it does terrible things to the body. First, a rash breaks out over the skin. The rash begin to burn horribly, and it makes the entire body swell. The poison then begins to eat at the tissue in the body, killing it and turning the extremities black. Then, the throat closes, shortly followed by suffocation. The process, from beginning to end, takes a little over six hours. And you will have the privilege of watching it all unfold."

Azula paused and eyed her brother, now gone slightly green. "But you, Zuko, your punishment will have only just begun. Once everyone that you love is removed from your life, your eyes will be gouged out, and your right arm cut off so you are a symbol to the world of what happens to those who betray the Fire nation. You will live the rest of your miserable excuse for a life as a disease ridden beggar, the object of mockery and ridicule for all who see you."

Zuko swallowed hard, and knew that every word that his sister said was true. He knew that she would perform every last act herself if she had to, and would not be disgusted by a single one of them. Zuko nodded shakily, his lips trembling out of both sickness and fear. "Understood," he whispered.

"And I have informants in the Rebel Army, just so you understand that I will know if you misdirect me in any which way," Azula added, and Zuko forced himself to nod, wondering just who the informants were, and whether or not he had met any of them before.

"You will send to me, via messenger pigeon of your whereabouts. If you are under scrutiny, find a way to tell me so. When you learn of the battle tactics of the Avatar, as well as any plans for the invasion, you will send those to me as well." Zuko nodded sluggishly in response, the weight of his wounds beginning to push him to oblivion.

Azula glanced over her brother, and then chuckled wryly. "Well, it seems that even the most loyal of creatures are capable of betrayal," she said with humor in her voice.

"I am loyal," Zuko insisted through a dry and scratchy throat, fast losing his grip on reality. "In my own way," he added as the image of his sister began to swim in front of his eyes. The distinctive shapes and colors of her skin and clothing blurred together, and then there was nothing but cool, welcome blackness.

-----------------------------------

Katara stood before the fire, wiping a bead of perspiration from her brow as she continued to stir the milled oats and wheat that ran together in a mushy mess in the pot above the flames. No one had much of an appetite. None of them had eaten very much in the past few days but Katara knew that they all needed the sustenance. And so there she was, stirring a gooey mess that would have looked somewhat appetizing four days ago, but now just made her stomach turn.

Sokka had gone off, at Katara's insistence, to find some nuts or berries (preferably both) several hours before, but still had not returned. Katara understood that her brother needed time to think away from the rest of the group, but a part of her resented how long he had been gone. It made her nervous, knowing that Azula was out there and that he was careless enough to wander about on his own when he wasn't strong enough to defeat the Fire Bending princess. A glance towards where Suki sat, chewing on her thumbnail, let Katara know that she wasn't the only one who was worried.

A rustling in the leaves behind her made Katara's shoulders relax, and she felt the tension slide out of her. "Sokka!" she exclaimed, dropping the spoon in the pan and whirling around to face her brother. "Where have you been? You scared me half to…" her voice trailed off as a different, but equally welcome boy, stepped out of the woods.

"Zuko!" she cried, rushing forward and gathering the boy into her arms. "Iroh, Toph, Suki! Zuko's home!" she shouted jubilantly, squeezing the banished prince just a little bit tighter.

She then drew back and lifted her hands so that she was cupping the fire bender's face. "Zuko, we were so worried about you…" Zuko fell forwards, and Katara caught him against her breast. "Zuko?" she asked, the smile slipping off of her face as she shook the boy and receiving no response. Then, he sagged forwards completely, and it took all of Katara's strength to hold them both up.

"Iroh!" She shouted, faltering as she struggled to right herself. The old man was already running towards them, a grin on his face. Then, he saw the state that Zuko was in and his face went deathly white. Quickly, he removed his Nephew from Katara's arms and lifted the boy into his own.

"Hurry," was all he said to the waterbender, who was already on her way to grab her water pouch. Iroh stared down at the face of the boy he held, bruised and bloodied, and lifted a prayer of thanks to Agni for returning is nephew to him, as well as another prayer for health.

With Katara trailing behind him, Iroh hurried to his tent and laid Zuko down on his bedroll, touching the boy's forehead lightly. His nephew's ivory skin was hot to the touch, and Iroh drew his hand away quickly. "I must make him some tea. Willow's bark, and…" he muttered ingredients to himself as he stripped his nephew down to his undergarments, hissing when he saw the infected, puss ridden wound on Zuko's side.

Katara stepped up beside him, and gently pushed Iroh out of the way. "I'll take care of this part. Go make him some tea to bring the fever down," she instructed the elder man, her eyes focused solely on her patient. Iroh hesitated for the briefest of seconds, drinking in his nephew's presence for one last moment before hurrying away.

Katara surveyed the damage, and felt her heart constrict. "Oh, Zuko, what have they done to you?" she whispered, seeing the raw flesh around his wrists and neck, the newly acquired burn marks that littered his body. Forcing the thoughts of what he went through in his captivity out of her mind, Katara bent a stream of water out of her pouch and fitted it around her hand in a healing glove.

Gently, she set to work on his wounds, brushing the cool, healing water over his fevered skin. She watched as the burns faded away into soft pink lines and the skin of his chafed wrists were restored to normalcy. By the time Iroh had re-entered his tent, Katara was finished and was sitting beside Zuko, her dark hands gently stroking wet strands of black hair back from the boy's pale forehead.

When she saw Iroh, she smiled lightly and moved aside, making room for the ample girthed man beside his nephew. Iroh gently lifted Zuko into a sitting position and braced the boy's shoulders with his arms as he lifted a cup of tea to Zuko's lips.

The boy coughed and stuttered over the bitter liquid, but nevertheless, Zuko drank it quickly. Too quickly, Iroh noticed. He turned towards Katara who sighed softly.

"He's dehydrated. I assume that Azula didn't give him anything while he was with her," she said lowly in an effort to keep Zuko from hearing.

Iroh nodded sagely, although his eyes burned with a fire that Katara could scarcely recognize. But then she remembered something that her mother said to her: 'You mess with the pups, and you have to deal with the Polar Bear Dog.'

Katara's lips turned up into a smile as she recognized that the fierce devotion that her mother had borne for her was present in Iroh's relationship with Zuko as well. She glanced over at Iroh's ample waist and long gray beard, and had to stifle a giggle at the similarities. The Polar Bear Dog, indeed.

"Water," Zuko rasped, drawing Katara out of her reverie. She passed her pouch to Iroh, who then held it up to his nephew's lips.

"Drink slowly," he crooned with his voice as tender as Katara ever heard it. She saw that the old man's eyes were glistening, and a soft, understanding smile touched her lips. She gently rested her hand on the old man's back, but wasn't surprised when he didn't acknowledge her.

"Call me if you need me," she said softly as she exited the tent, and the smile on her face grew when she saw Iroh nod distractedly and then fuss over Zuko as though the boy was a baby chick and he the mother hen.

Zuko was with them, and the camp had become like home once more.

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"You don't seriously expect me to eat that, do you?" Sokka asked with a grimace of distaste as Katara passed out the goop like dinner.

Zuko watched Katara smack Sokka over the head with the spoon, succeeding in getting some of the fore mentioned mush into the boy's hair. At Katara's 'Of course I do, you idiot! You eat everything!' Zuko couldn't help but let a smile lightly touch the corners of his mouth.

It was good to be back, but at the same time, everything was so different. He shivered, and his uncle noticed from where he hovered nearby. When the old man went to place _another_ blanket around his shoulders, Zuko shook his head quickly. One blanket was sufficient, two understandable. But five! If he hadn't known what his uncle had been through, he would have thrown them off of him. But guilt made him stay his tongue and watch his actions as well.

He looked across the flames, watching as Sokka grudgingly took a seat just a tad too close to Suki for friendship's purposes, watched Toph roll her eyes at the pair's antics. Momo was leaning over Aang's shoulder, shoveling dinner from the Avatar's plate into his mouth. Aang then grinned and lightly shoved the lemur away. Momo chattered angrily, and then plopped down beside Appa, voicing his indignation. Appa growled in sympathy, and then Momo crawled up and made a nest for himself on the bison's head.

Zuko glanced around the campsite one more time. They were all so idealistic, so certain that Aang would stop the tyranny of the Fire Nation and save their homes and the lives if their loved ones. They believed that they would win. But because of him, they would fail.

The knowledge left a bitter taste in his mouth, and a pain in his heart. A part of him wondered as to whether death was the better choice, and the more reasonable side of Zuko's mind ridiculed him for entertaining such thoughts. He couldn't go back; couldn't erase the choice that he had made.

He glanced up, and met Katara's large, blue eyes across the fire. She smiled at him, her face lit with happiness and trust and youthful naivety. And he knew without a doubt that one day this image of her would be gone, replaced by the face of a bitter, jaded woman.

Zuko felt his gut clench, and he set his dinner aside, unable to force down a bite past the growing lump in his throat.

_Save or damn us all, save or damn us all… What have I done?_

_-------------------------------_

**A/N: **Yes, I am aware that every last one of you wants to kill me right now. But look, it was a fast update, see? Only one day! See? That should make you happy...And it wasn't like Zuko willingly betrayed them.

Anyway, don't worry. The Zutara will still happen, and as for Zuko... you'll see. **ONCE AGIAN, MIN 20 REVIEWS BEFORE I UPDATE AGAIN. Sorry. :D **I am enacting this rule simply because I work hard on these chapters for you guys, and I like recieving feedback from the people I work hard for. And since there are now 109 of you that are dilligently following this, me asking for twenty ins't all that big a deal. Hey, I could ask for fifty! (don't worry. I won't).

And as for the Maiko last chapter... guys, I know this is Zutara, and I know you want all of the fluffy Zutara goodness that comes along with the pairing, but... Maiko is cannon. It HAS to be here. This is fanfic, after all. Not AU. Plus... (don't kill me) It's fun to write. Almost as fun as Zutara.

Anyway, any and all feedback is appreciated. Love 'yall!

Sandra


	16. The Swamp

Katara watched Zuko from beneath lowered lashes, chewing at her lower lip in worry. He was bending again, as he had every day since his escape from Azula's clutches. She swallowed hard in remembrance of the anguish the entire group had gone through throughout the course of his absence, and then she forced her mind away from such things. He was here now, and that was what mattered.

She lifted a stream of water from the river and formed it into a small ball, bouncing it lightly through the air as she continued to watch the young prince move through complicated forms. There was an air of confusion and solitude about him that had been missing for some time now, and its return made Katara wary.

Just what had Azula done to him? Had she turned him back to the side of the Fire Nation? Instantly, Katara banished that thought. Zuko was a different person now, after all. She knew without a doubt that he wouldn't betray them. Katara sighed softly, and wiggled her fingers, making the blob of water twirl about her outstretched palms.

So why the separation? Ever since his return, he hadn't been able to meet her eye; couldn't speak with her without turning away. A conversation with Sokka that she'd had earlier that morning let her know that she wasn't the only one that Zuko was rebuffing. _Just what did that Fire Witch do to him?_

Her gaze slid back to Zuko, a plume of flames surrounding his lean form. He moved with strength and power, but at the same time he seemed weighted down by something… something that Katara couldn't name no matter how hard she wracked her brain.

"What are you doing?" Suki's somewhat smug voice caught Katara off guard and she whirled around to face her friend, the water she had been toying with splashing to the ground.

"Spirits, you startled me!" Katara exclaimed, placing a hand against her thudding heart. Suki merely grinned and took a seat beside the water bender, her eyes crinkling with mischief.

"Enjoying the view?" she teased, and Katara's brow furrowed.

"What are you…"

Suki laughed, and then tossed a pebble into the river. "Zuko," she replied, jerking her chin in the boy's direction. "And I've got to admit, you have some pretty good taste. That boy has a body like I've never seen," she continued, and laughed once more at the blush that stained Katara's dark face.

Katara slid a glance towards the boy in question, watching him now not as the matriarch of their little family, but as a young woman. Dappled sunlight blessed his ivory skin; smooth flesh stretched taught over solid muscles. And Katara realized with no small amount of horror that Suki was correct in her thinking.

"You'd better not let Sokka hear you talking like that," was all Katara said, deciding that some things were better left unsaid. You never knew who was eavesdropping, after all. Like a certain, rotund old man that already teased her enough.

"He's good looking too," Suki replied, nudging Katara's shoulder with her own. "And he's a great kisser," she added, and Katara's face screwed up.

"Ew," she replied, shuddering. This was her brother they were talking about, after all.

Suki laughed at her younger friend's expression, and then she leaned back so that her elbows supported all of her weight. "So what were you doing out here, really?" she asked, her fingertips grazing blades of grass absently.

Katara shrugged, and glanced back over to Zuko briefly beneath lowered lids. "Worrying," she admitted, and Suki rolled her eyes.

"All you do is worry. Once this war is over, I'm taking you to a mountain resort and we're not coming back to civilization for a month," the warrior announced, and Katara smiled, amused by Suki's flippancy.

"What about the Kyoshi Warriors?" she reminded the girl pointedly, and Suki sighed.

"They'll survive without me for a month."

"You think Sokka will be able to?" Katara returned, and Suki laughed and shook her head.

"Probably not."

The two girls then fell into a comfortable silence, broken only by the soft babbling of the river. And then, a colorful strain of muffled cursing came from between the leaves that separated Suki and Katara from Zuko.

Suki chuckled. "That one sure has a mouth on him," she observed dryly, and a corner of Katara's mouth twitched upwards slightly.

"Katara!" Sokka's voice shouted in the distance before the girl had a chance to reply. "Katara! The messenger pigeon is back!" he continued, and Katara scrambled to her feet, the thought of receiving a note bearing her father's handwriting making her knees tremble.

All thoughts of Zuko and Azula now gone from her mind, Katara rushed forwards, followed shortly by Suki. "Coming!" she called back, running from the stream to the clearing of their campsite. When she saw the letter that Sokka was holding, she quickly snatched it out of his hands and read over the short, scribbled lines.

_Sokka and Katara,_

_I will be at the swamp three days hence, as will a number of envoys from the Earth Kingdom armies. I wish you a safe journey there, and I look forward to seeing the both of you again soon._

_And Katara, Beno wishes me to send you his warmest regards. _

Katara scowled as she came upon the last line, and Sokka chuckled. "Warmest regards, huh? Are there wedding bells in little Katara's near future?" he teased, and the girl flushed scarlet.

"Absolutely not," she retorted, frowning deeply at the new development. If her father was writing her of a fellow tribesman's feelings towards her, it could only mean one thing. He approved of and was attempting to enforce the match. At that moment, Katara became angrier with her father than reason allowed.

"Leave her be, you brute," Suki replied, lightly punching Sokka's shoulder, and the boy scowled at her and rubbed his abused bicep. "He's just an awful…" she began, glancing over to where Katara had been standing but a moment before. Suki's brow furrowed when she realized that Katara was stalking away from the small group.

"And where do you think you're going?" Sokka demanded towards her retreating back, not quite understanding her anger.

"To write father a reply!" she shouted, not bothering to turn back around. Frowning worriedly, Suki made to go after her friend, but Iroh's arm stayed her. She cast him a questioning glance, but he just shook his head.

"You can be a real jerk sometimes," she said to Sokka rather than running after the young water bender.

Sokka's eyes widened. "Me?" he squeaked indignantly. "What did I say?" he demanded, but Suki pushed past him. He turned to Iroh. "What?" he demanded, and Iroh chuckled.

"Women are very complicated creatures. Why, I remember when I was younger…" the old man began, and Sokka smacked his forehead hard enough to leave a mark.

---------------------

Katara pushed her way through branches, muttering under her breath about idiot men and no nothing fathers all of the way. When she finally reached the river, she lifted a wave with little effort, and in her frustration made it crash back to its source. The splash that rose was so spectacular that streams of water soared over the bank and flew over the once dry ground.

An indignant, 'Hey!' greeted Katara, and she whirled around to see Zuko facing her, his arms crossed, his hair dripping with water. Despite herself, she chuckled at the sight of him. Then, she remembered both her father's comment and Zuko's strange behavior. The smile dropped from her face and she plopped down at the river's edge, her chin tucked into her chest.

"You sure know how to make an entrance," Zuko joked awkwardly, as though a part of him wanted to retreat and leave her to her own devices. Katara mumbled something unintelligible in response, and Zuko eyed her warily.

Staying and talking with her over what ever was the matter with her wasn't the wisest course of action, of that he was certain. He didn't want to get closer to her. In fact, he decided that the farther apart he was emotionally from the gang, the easier it would be to betray him when the time came. Nevertheless, he found himself sitting beside the girl silently, staring at the water much like she was.

"I hate men," she grumbled, and Zuko, startled, coughed.

Katara turned to face him, her eyes widened slightly. "Not you." She said by way of apology, and Zuko raised a brow. "It's just… It's my father! I'm only fifteen, and he's already found me a suitor," she grumbled darkly. "And it's not like I don't want to get married. I do. Really. But I'm not ready yet. There's so much left I want to do before I get tied down!

"But he doesn't see that! He doesn't see that even though I'm a girl, I want to have adventure. I want a life full of excitement…I want to be swept off my feet by my prince charming. I don't want my father to arrange a marriage for me to the boy who pulled at my pig tails when we were younger!

"I…I…" she trailed off, and smashed her fist down onto the ground beside her. "I'm not the girl he wants me to be." She sighed harshly. "My interests are so different from what he wants for me, and it's like…like…"

"You disappoint him no matter what you do," Zuko finished for her. Startled, she turned to face him. Zuko sighed heavily and glanced away, unable to face her scrutiny. "I know the feeling," he added lowly, and Katara chewed on her lower lip, her frustration forgotten for the moment.

"Zuko…" she reached out and lightly touched his hand, pulling it away when she felt his muscles clench. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I…" she hastened to apologize, and Zuko cut her off with a shake of his head.

"Believe me, Katara, I don't need you to remind me of him," he replied, subconsciously reaching up to touch his scar. Katara noticed, and lowered her eyes before looking back up at Zuko's profile.

"How…" she bit her lip, but continued when Zuko turned to face her and arched a brow. "How did you get this?" she asked softly, reaching up to press her fingertips gently across the rippled pink flesh. Zuko stiffened, and backed away from her light touch.

"It was given to me as a lesson," he replied with a soft sigh, unable to meet her gaze once more. "To be strong, and to demonstrate honor," he finished bitterly, thinking upon his current predicament. Surely Ozai and the rest of the Fire Nation would think his betrayal of the gang to be a noble endeavor. For once, his father might actually be _proud_ of his actions. But he felt no honor, no sense of greatness. He just felt guilt and shame, and a peculiar sense of emptiness that had been missing for a time.

Katara took his struggle within himself for the pain of the memory, and she compassionately gripped his hand. "Zuko, an act of violence didn't make you the man you are today," she informed him, big, trusting blue eyes staring earnestly into his own. "You're honorable because that's your character. Because there's a strength and honesty about you that I never thought anyone from the Fire Nation could possibly have."

Zuko looked away, unable to keep up an act in the light of her belief in him. He swallowed, and withdrew his hand from hers. "I'm flattered," he replied softly, because there was nothing else that he could say.

Katara sighed and her shoulders drooped. She'd been amiss. She had meant to bolster his confidence, but it appeared that she had said something wrong… something that wounded him. Would it always be this way between them? Moments of companionship, but more often than not, times of misunderstanding?

"You're a remarkable person Katara." Zuko's voice shocked her out of her worries. He was staring away from her again, so she was only able to see his profile. "No matter what happens, try to stay the same as you are right now."

His face was inscrutable, but the tone of his voice scared Katara to no end. "What so you mean?" she asked softly, her voice trembling.

"Things happen in war," was all he said, but his tone told her that there was something he was hiding… something he knew that she didn't.

Uncomfortable with the turn their conversation had taken, Katara coughed and pulled out a scrap of paper. "I have to write my father and let him know that we'll be at the swamp in a couple of days," she said, forcing some levity into her tone. Zuko nodded silently, and then moved to walk away.

"You're leaving?" she asked, brow furrowed when she realized his intentions.

"I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome," he replied lightly. "You hate men, remember?" he teased, and the corners of his mouth twitched when he saw that the comment had brought a smile to her face.

"Not you," she replied, her tone lighter than his. "You're different."

She looked at him with such trust in her face that Zuko had to turn away. _If only you knew, Katara. If only you knew. _

------------------------

"Hakoda, a message has arrived," Bato exclaimed, handing the missive to the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe. Hakoda thanked his second in command as he accepted the parchment, and smiled at the handwriting that was only just now becoming familiar to him.

When he had left his home to fight the war, his daughter's penmanship had been sloppy and scribbly, bearing all of the marks of childhood. Recently, however, though still spidery, the writing was small and had lost its childish edge. Much as she had, he mused, recalling the last image he had of his daughter.

When he'd left, she had been a pudgy little girl, her face round and full, her little body still without form. When he'd seen her recently however… She was tall and graceful, had her mother's thick head of hair and easy movement. But she was a beauty in her own right with his high cheekbones and Kana's eyes.

His little girl… a woman. It was hard for him to wrap his mind around the concept, but he, like all fathers, was forced to admit that his daughter was no longer the child that he once knew. Maybe that was why it was so hard for him to accept Bato's son's feelings for her.

Hakoda did not fear much; he had faced death every day of his life for the past four years, after all. But when Beno had first approached him, all wringing hands and shuffling feet, Hakoda had been terrified. And then he had wondered if he looked as pathetic as this boy did when he had gone to ask his wife's family permission to court her. And it was that thought, in the end, which won him over to the boy's request.

And then, he supposed, if his daughter _refused_ to live her life in celibacy and childish love for him alone as Hakoda wished her to, Beno was the next best choice. He was a competent warrior, and would provide well for his little girl. She and his grandchildren would be well cared for, and well loved. It was all a father could ask for, really.

And so, he had hinted at a relationship in his last letter, thinking that his daughter would be flattered at the attention. Hakoda took a seat on a log that sat around the bonfire in the swamp, and began to read the short letter.

_Dad,_

_By the time you receive this, we should only be a say or so away. Sokka and I miss you and look forward to seeing you. _

_Tell Beno that he can shove his regards where the sun doesn't shine. _

_I love you_.

Flattered by the attention, indeed. Despite himself, Hakoda laughed. Just like her mother, alright. Why, his wife had been so intimidating the first time that he'd made his attentions known that he'd nearly run with his tail tucked between his legs. He read the line again, and then he frowned, wondering at where his innocent baby girl had picked up the phrase.

Bato raised a brow, and Hakoda coughed, quickly tucking the letter away so that his best friend wouldn't be able to see what his daughter had written in regards to Bato's only son. "We expect them tomorrow," he said, attempting to sound serious although his voice was still thick with amusement.

Bato raised a brow, but said nothing. If Hakoda didn't want to volunteer any information, far be it from Bato to attempt to drag it out of the man. At that moment, Beno ducked his head into the tent and glanced at Hakoda before flushing and staring at his feet.

"Sir, uh…"

"Your interest in my daughter doesn't mean you have to treat me any different that you do usually, Beno," Hakoda admonished, but only because he felt he had to. He'd known the boy since he was born, after all, and was 'Uncle Hakoda' to him normally. However, a large part of him delighted in seeing this man who wanted to corrupt his little girl squirm.

"Now, what do you want?" he asked, forcing his tone to be kindly. He repressed a smirk of satisfaction when he saw the boy flush and clear his throat, but a greater part of him took pity on the boy.

"Did Katara…uh…say anything about me?" Beno finally managed to spit out, and Hakoda grinned at the thought of what his daughter had really written.

"She says she… appreciates the fact that you're thinking of her," he lied, and saw Beno give a true smile for the first time all morning. _Poor kid._

The boy managed a thank you before rushing out of the tent, probably going to brag to his friends, Hakoda thought with equal amounts of amusement and displeasure.

Once the boy was gone, Beno turned to face Hakoda with a frown. "What did she really write?" he asked, and Hakoda shrugged.

"What if she didn't write anything?" he replied easily, and Bato snorted.

"You're as transparent as your son," Bato replied dryly, and Hakoda frowned.

"We need to make some more bombs," was all the chieftain said, making Beno scowl. "Come on, we only have a month and a half left to go before the Day of the Black Sun. We'd best get as much done as we can." With that, the chief exited the tent, and Bato had no choice but to follow his best friend since childhood.

----------------------------------

Appa descended through the dark gloom of the swamp, lit here and there by the fires of the envoys that Hakoda's letter had mentioned. However, the low boughs of the trees and the heaviness of the air did little to obscure Katara's father's strong presence.

"Papu!" Katara exclaimed when she caught sight of her father, and she scrambled off of Appa and into Hakoda's arms, her frustration with him forgotten for the moment.

"Katara," Hakoda laughed, and he spun his daughter around once before setting her back on the ground and kissing her nose. "You, young lady, had best learn to curb that tongue of yours," he scolded her gently, and Katara sighed and glanced away in typical teenage defiance.

"And Sokka!" Hakoda exclaimed, looking over his shoulder and seeing his son striding towards him, his arm around the waist of the Kyoshi warrior girl that he had met briefly in their short time together before. Apparently, his son's relationship with the girl was deepening.

He clasped his son's hand and drew him forward firmly in a warrior's handshake. "It's good to see you again," was all he said, knowing that saying anything more would probably embarrass the boy. "And you, Suki," he said, dipping his head towards the earth kingdom girl. She had the decency to flush, and then return the sentiment.

Katara smiled at the interaction, and then made herself busy re-introducing her father to the rest of the gang before her attention was caught elsewhere. Beno was walking forward, and Katara slunk backwards subconsciously, bumping directly into Zuko.

The boy righted her, and then met the glare the Water Tribe boy cast his way impassively. There was nothing to quarrel over, was there? He didn't feel anything for Katara after all… he cast a sidelong glance at the girl and swallowed. Right? Iroh chuckled, and Zuko frowned slightly, turning to pin a glare on his uncle.

"Katara," Beno greeted, walking towards her purposefully.

Katara immediately thrust her hand out. "Beno," she replied, her tone not quite as friendly as the boy in question, Bato, and Hakoda would have liked. Awkwardly, Beno reached forward and shook her hand, slightly discomfited by the cool greeting.

The boy cast a glance to his father, who shrugged, and Katara followed the boy's gaze. "Uncle Bato!" she exclaimed, rushing towards the man and throwing herself in his arms. "Have you been looking after Father?" she asked in a low, conspiratorial voice.

"Of course. You looking out for Sokka?" he returned, and Katara beamed and nodded. It was an exchange they had shared often over the years, and the familiarity of it made Katara smile. Even here, in the darkness and humidity of the swamp, she felt like she was at home.

Hakoda smiled at his children, and then looked to Aang. "Avatar, would you care to see your troops?" he asked the boy, and, uncharacteristically, Aang nodded solemnly.

"It would be an honor," he replied in a tone wiser than his years, but with a voice that betrayed his tender age. Katara smiled at the boy in encouragement, and Aang managed to cast her a watery smile of his own. Katara sighed softly and then frowned. Would things ever be the same between them again?

"We're coming too, right?" Sokka asked, and his father nodded with a grin.

"Of course you are!" he turned towards his son, and grinned. "And between you and me, the new batch of stink bombs are magnificent."

Sokka beamed. "That bad?"

"Like a Polar Bear Dog's unwashed rear!" Hakoda added, and then both he and his son fell into peals of laughter. Suki's eyes widened in distress, and she hurried over to Katara.

"Are they always like this?" she demanded, listening as they alternately swapped what they believed to be worst stenches known to man and laughing like children.

"…spoiled turtle seal meat!" was all Katara caught, and then she smiled grimly.

"Well, Suki, welcome to the family," she replied dryly, and Suki rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.

"The things I put myself through for that boy…" she grumbled under her breath, and Katara laughed and linked her arms with the girl as they followed her father and Bato through the swamp.

They passed by several tents, whom Katara supposed the owners of weren't important enough to stop and speak to. The colors of the tents changed from blue to a deep, earthen brown, and Hakoda finally stopped before a campfire that was doing little to light the darkness.

"This is General Tyro," her father introduced the children, and Aang smiled warmly.

"We've met," the young Avatar said, and Tyro clasped his hand.

"We are in your debt," he said, shaking the boy's hand enthusiastically. He then caught sight of Katara, and smiled. "Hello, my dear," he greeted her, and Katara gave him a welcoming smile. "Haru will be glad to see you again," he said, and amazingly, Katara blushed.

Sokka, Hakoda, Beno, and Zuko all glowered at the comment, although Sokka was the only one of them to be acquainted with the young Earth Bender.

"Come on guys, she's not territory, you know," Toph scolded at feeling the boys' vibrations and shifting the earth beneath their feet to emphasize her point.

Tyro gave the group before him a half smile of amusement, and looked back to Katara. "Would you like to speak with him?" he asked, just as polite as Katara remembered.

"Of course!" she exclaimed, a bit too eagerly she realized when she felt the glares of four men on her back. She thrust her chin out defiantly, and grinned to herself as Tyro called his son.

"Katara?" Haru asked incredulously when he saw her, and then he rushed forward and pulled her into a close hug. "How have you been?" he asked, a smile lighting his features.

Sokka glared at the Earth Bender, and then turned to Suki. "Why would she want to be with him? He looks way too girly," he muttered, and Suki slapped him upside the head.

"They're just friends, idiot," Toph added, and Sokka turned and pinned a glare on the blind girl. "Flame boy gets it," she added, casting the boy a sly smile.

Zuko forced himself to meet Sokka's eyes and nod, although he felt something strange tug at his lower stomach at seeing Katara in another man's arms. _Another man… _Zuko refused to consider exactly whose arms he thought she belonged in.

Katara, however, was oblivious to her friends' bickering as she caught up with an old friend. But then, her world tipped upside down and she felt the words die on her lips. Striding towards her was someone she had known once; loved once. Her throat constricted, but she couldn't glance away.

"Hey, Katara," he greeted smoothly, and Katara's eyes widened.

She took a deep breath, but forced herself to greet the boy before her. "Jet."

* * *

**A/N: **Well, there were alot of slight Zutara moments in this chapter, but there will be MANY more in the next. And Jet's back... wonder what that will do to the Zutara pairing? And, oh! My Maiko moment is totally canon, for those of you who have seen the Season 3 trailer. For those of you who haven't, it's on Avatarspirit. net.

Now for the issue of reviews. I apologize to those who were offended by my ultimatums, but I never knew just how many of you were reading before issuing them. And, as one reviewer informed me, they were getting their freinds who didn't particularly like Avatar to read. That was pretty encouraging, I will have you know.

But, due to the fact that I offended people, I am merely going to **Request** **the 20 reviews** that I demanded before. Hopefully, you guys will appreciate the fact that I stayed up until nearly 1:30 AM just to get this posted for you today, and will give me some feedback.

Thanks so much for reading! I'm blessed to have all of you reading this, and I appreciate your support.

Sandra Evans


	17. Tension

Jet smiled at her in his simple, straightforward way, and Katara felt her knees weaken. "You…but you…" she paused and took a deep breath. "I thought…"

Jet rolled his shoulders, and gave her a sly grin. "This freedom fighter isn't that easy to kill," he replied easily, and Katara's mouth went dry. Here was the first boy she'd ever fallen for, the first boy she'd ever kissed, and the first boy who had broken her heart. She frowned, her mouth working although nothing came out.

Then, she took the few steps towards him and wrapped her arms around him tightly, burying her head in his shoulder. This wasn't love, she knew, but Jet was someone that she cared for. And for now, that was enough. She felt his arms close around her, and she frowned, feeling neither safe nor protected in his embrace. That was definitely a new element to their relationship.

"Care to introduce you to your _friend, _Katara?" Hakoda asked, and his daughter turned out of Jet's arms to face him, a smile lighting her features.

"I'm sorry. Everybody, this is Jet," she introduced the boy, whose hand rested comfortably on her hip. Hakoda's gaze zeroed in on the seemingly innocent touch, and Katara quickly squirmed out of the freedom fighter's grasp when she saw her father's face harden.

"We've met," Zuko replied darkly, staring at the boy across from him. Jet's face instantly lit, and he growled deep in his throat at the exiled prince. Before a fight could break out between the two, Hakoda spoke.

"Have you touched my daughter?" he demanded, his voice cold and calculating. All around them the camp fell silent as the members present digested the thought. Katara's eyes bugged out of her head and her face flushed.

"Dad? No! How could you possibly…" she protested, and Hakoda held up a hand.

"Don't make me repeat the question," he said, his eyes never straying from Jet's completely relaxed and easy form. He saw a smirk light onto the boy's lips, and Hakoda felt his gut clench.

"What do you mean… touched?" Jet replied, and Katara whirled on him, her mouth agape.

"But…you…You!" she exclaimed, taking several steps back from the boy. "You know perfectly well what he means!" she shouted, and then turned to her father. "Papu, I promise you! I never…we never…"

"Enough, Katara. Boy, you will answer me right at this moment, or I will be forced to kill you," he threatened, and his glare darkened when he saw Jet's nonchalant face. "We take purity _very _serious in the Southern Water Tribe."

"Apparently," Toph mumbled under her breath with a roll of her eyes. Suki quickly nudged the blind girl to be silent, and Toph growled at the young warrior before turning back to a very embarrassed Katara.

Jet crossed his arms over his chest. "For all I know, her honor is intact," he replied stiffly, but then cast a pointed look towards the rest of the boys around them. Hakoda noticed, and his face darkened. .

"I can vouch for Aang and Zuko," Sokka put in, and Katara stomped her foot.

"Dad! I told you already! I didn't do anything!" she exclaimed, her fists and teeth clenched.

"And how would I know that you're telling the truth?"

"Because you're my father. You're supposed to trust me!"

"Trust? You've showed defiance towards all of our customs thus far. How am I supposed to believe that the subject of your honor will be any different? How do you expect me to trust you?" he returned, and Katara crossed her arms over her chest, her face beat red with both rage and humiliation.

"I hate you!" she shouted, and her statement made Hakoda reel back with shock. Sokka reached forward to touch his sister's shoulder, and she slapped his hand away, tears pricking at her eyes. "And you know what? I'll camp over there until we leave so that you won't have to worry about what I'm doing and with whom," she spat out, glaring at her father, and then at the ring of men around him.

Without another word, she water bended her way across the swamp and to the opposite bank.

Hakoda blinked, and then he rushed to the bank, a scowl on his face. "Get back here young lady!" he shouted, and his daughter's defiant 'No,' set his blood to boiling. "You will do as I say!" he demanded, but this time he received no answer. "Katara!" Still nothing.

When he turned back around, everyone was attempting to make themselves as invisible as possible, with the exception of Bato. He was staring openly, his eyes wide. Iroh was the first to step forwards and give Hakoda a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Girls are…difficult creatures," he said, and then added, "…especially at their time of the month. Benders are particularly affected… Don't take too much of what she said to heart," the old man said, and the younger boys around them coughed uncomfortably.

"For what it's worth," Toph said, stepping up to the plate, "Sugar Queen wasn't lying. She's as innocent as a newborn babe," she said with a light smirk.

Hakoda let out a harsh sigh and shook his head. "I'm going back to my tent," was all he said as he walked away. Bato followed after a moment, motioning for his son to join him. With one last glare towards Jet, Zuko, and Haru, Beno obeyed his father.

Aang watched the proceedings with wide eyes, and then he frowned deeply. "What was that all about?" he asked, and Toph laughed before punching the boy's shoulder.

"Nothing, Twinkle Toes. Absolutely nothing."

"But…"

"Trust me when I tell you that you don't want to know."

--------------------------------

Alone in their tent, Sokka turned to his father, his face scrunched up in rage. "Couldn't you have waited until we were alone to pull that?" he demanded, and Hakoda glowered at his son.

"Maybe if you watched over her as I asked you to, I wouldn't have had to humiliate her in front of the tribe," Hakoda replied hotly, before throwing himself back into his chair in a perfect imitation of Sokka.

"For something she didn't do!" Sokka returned, his face red with anger and his fists clenched at his sides. "And you have no idea how hard it is to watch her when she could beat me to a bloody pulp if she wanted to," he added under his breath.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?"

Sokka let out a frustrated sigh and he whirled on his father, who was rubbing his aching head with calloused fingertips. "Treat her with the respect she deserves!"

"Sokka…"

"What? Do you think she deserves to be bossed around?" Sokka demanded, and his father glanced away, finding himself unable to answer the question.

Sokka saw and chuckled humorlessly. "You have no idea how to treat her, do you Dad? She's your daughter, for Tui's sake, and you don't even know her!"

"And how was I supposed to get to know her?" Hakoda retorted. "I left when she was still a little girl; when her life still revolved around her dolls and that ridiculous polar bear dog pup she found! And now, she's…traipsing around, fighting in a war I swore she would never take part in. She acts like a man, and…" Hakoda trailed off, and made an impatient gesture with his hand.

"She's a warrior, Dad, but she's a woman too. It took me a while to learn that a girl could be both things at once, but…" he thought of Suki and smiled softly. "It was a lesson worth learning."

Hakoda frowned at his son, and Sokka sighed. "Dad, she's perfectly capable of handling herself, but she wants you to be there for her; to tell her to reach for the moon. She wants you to be proud of her, and the way you treated her tonight…" Sokka shook his head sharply, and cut off his flow of words.

There was tense silence for a moment, and the Hakoda sighed. "I know, Sokka. But your sister has so much of her mother and grandmother in her, and I don't want…" Hakoda stopped speaking immediately, remembering abruptly that this was his son he was talking to. And there were some things you just didn't share with your child.

"You don't want her to make the same mistakes that they did," Sokka finished for him. When the young warrior saw his father's face, he rolled his eyes. "I can do math, dad. Mom obviously wasn't… I mean…" he stopped, and then shrugged. "Either I came way too early, or she conceived before she was married to you."

Hakoda frowned deeply, but said nothing.

"And you know what?" Sokka continued, "Big deal. Big deal if Gran-Gran wasn't married when she had Mom. Big deal if Mom got pregnant before she married you. Who really cares? They're both amazing women, and they both have taught me so much. Both them lost their honor before their time, but they were well respected and well loved. What would it really matter if Katara lost hers too?"

Hakoda sighed and rubbed a hand wearily over his face. "I don't expect you to understand, Sokka. But the fact is that Katara is my daughter, and it is my duty to protect her."

"And as her brother, that's my job too," Sokka replied stiffly, staring at his father with crossed arms and anger in his eyes. "And nobody hurts my baby sister."

"Sokka…" Hakoda protested weakly, and then he shook his head. "Someday, when you have a daughter of your own, you'll understand. Until then, I expect you to abide by my decisions, whether or not you agree with them. Katara is my child, not yours."

"But you gave her to me," Sokka replied in a near whisper, remembering the day that his father had made him promise to watch over Katara in the Chieftain's place. And it was true. Sokka may have needed mothering most of the time, but when push came to shove, it was always he that defended his little sister from the world. And whenever something happened to her, he wanted to hold her in his arms and kill the people who made her cry. He had become a parent to her in his own right.

And now his father was attempting to take her back from him. It hurt Sokka more than he liked to admit.

"I'm sorry," Hakoda replied lowly, staring into his son's cobalt eyes, so like his own. They were identical creatures, he and his son, both too quick to make a humorous comment, both so inclined to defend and love with all they had. Hakoda looked over the man standing before him, and prayed that the spirits would grant his son a happy life. A life so unlike his father's.

Sokka frowned deeply. "So am I," he replied before turning on his heel and striding out of his father's tent, hoping to leave the past behind him.

As he walked into the sunlight, Suki's arms came out of nowhere, enveloping him in the warmth of her embrace. "How did it go?" she asked softly. In this moment Suki was all woman, the warrior in her constrained to the continual spark of defiance in her green eyes. The realization made Sokka smile.

Instead of replying, Sokka bent over and kissed her softly, smiling when he felt her sigh against his lips. When he pulled back, Suki glanced up at him, her brow furrowed.

"What was that for?" she asked, and Sokka gave her the briefest of smiles.

_For teaching me everything that I needed to know. For changing my outlook on life from my father's to yours. For letting me know just what makes a woman worth something. _Instead of saying what he thought, he just smiled wider. "Do I have to have a reason?" he replied as he tweaked her nose.

And when Suki leaned into him again, he knew that for once in his life, he had said the right thing.

----------------------

Later that night, Zuko sat before the fire, attempting to ignore the shouts that rang back and forth across the swamp. He clutched the letter he held in his hand just a bit tighter, debating on whether or not he should send it to his sister. Right about now, he felt like letting her poison the motley little band that made his ears ring with all of their shouting.

There was another reason for his hesitation, he knew. When he had seen Katara step willingly into Jet's embrace, his stomach had clenched uncomfortably with an emotion that he knew well. Jealously. It made him hate her, in a way, that just the sight of her in another man's arms could set his teeth to grinding and his mind to reeling.

Why he was jealous, he'd never know. The girl was infuriating with her ever present mood swings, with the smile that was too quick to come to her face and tears that formed far too easily for his tastes. He preferred Mai. She was normal, predictable. But the Fire Nation girl's kiss had done nothing to him; no fireworks had gone off and no surge of desire had filled his breast. It was nice, but that was all.

But Katara… despite her caring spirit and too trusting nature, she was a spitfire. She was a woman who could easily kindle his desire and feed its flames. At Hakoda's insinuation that she had slept with the freedom fighter, Zuko had felt his stomach clench painfully. The thought of her tangled with that worthless heap of flesh made him sick when he wanted it to be him that her legs were wrapped around, him who she came to in the middle of the night, his name she cried out when…

Zuko flushed at the thoughts and buried his head in his hands, groaning. Of all people, it just had to be Katara. Innocent little Katara, who had dreams of a prince charming and a fairy tale wedding, who probably believed with all of her heart in chastity until marriage. It was this naïve…girl that made his blood pound. This little girl who he was about to betray, and whose brother would cleave him in half for ruining her and then breaking her heart.

He wanted her, this was true, but did he love her? Her constant mothering would drove him insane. She was always checking on him, always giving him looks of concern, and was always at his side when he needed care most. It was infuriating. And you couldn't be in love with someone if all of the little things they did bothered you… could you?

He gripped the slip of paper in his hand tighter, his eyes tearing as he crumpled it. She deserved what would happen to her for making him respond to her in such a dishonorable manner. She deserved it…

He remembered her face across the fire, her blue eyes alight with trust and devotion. He remembered her devotion to the Kyoshi warriors when she had tended to their wounds. He remembered her by the stream as she had childishly announced that she hated men. He remembered the look of pain in her eyes when she had told him that she could never do right by her father, when she had shed a tear in remembrance of the boy who broke her heart for the first time.

She wasn't doing this to him. He was doing it to himself. This girl had offered everything to him, had taken he and his uncle with her when she could have left them at Azula's mercy, had healed his wounds, cooked his meals, and offered him both friendship and family. She didn't deserve Azula's torture, and she surely didn't deserve to have her innocence tarnished by the thoughts that ran through his mind.

He slipped the scrap of paper into his pocket. He would send it out once every one else had fallen asleep. He owed Katara for all that she had done for him, and he would not allow Azula to harm her in any way shape or form. So long as he stuck to his end of the bargain, she and her family would be safe.

Zuko groaned again as the gang's shouting wore on his already frayed nerves and deepened the pounding ache in his head. He ignored the worried look his uncle cast his way, and then strode to the bank beside the others. "You're acting like a child!" he exclaimed, his frustrated voice carrying over the waters of the swamp and to it's opposite bank.

"Excuse me?" he heard Katara's voice shout back.

"You heard me! You're acting like a three year old with a temper tantrum!" Zuko called out to her, and he could practically feel Katara's anger.

"I'm not a child!"

"Than stop acting like one! Stop sulking! Get over here and face this like a woman!" he shouted, and could feel Sokka's eyes boring into his back. He turned to the warrior, and then forced a small smile. "Come on, Kat! Show them what you're made of!" he finally exclaimed, and he saw Sokka's eyes narrow slightly in speculation.

Iroh chuckled from behind him, although he continued to eye his nephew with a strange gleam in his eye. Zuko ignored them both. And when he saw the girl walking towards him across the water, he felt his gut clench with that still foreign emotion that he hated now just as much as he had when it had began.

And then she was standing directly in front of him, looking confused that she'd given in. She looked up to Zuko, frowning. "How did you get to know me so well?" she asked, genuinely curious how this boy she'd known for such a short time had managed to get her to do as he wanted when those she'd known for years had yet to accomplish that.

Zuko smiled without humor and shook his head. "I wish I knew," he admitted, and he watched as Katara's frown deepened even further.

A sense of Déjavu came over her as she stared up at the boy in front of her, and for the briefest of moments, she thought she saw his eyes flash green, and the world around them be replaced by the sanctuary of calming lights. As quickly as the image came to her, it was gone, and it left Katara confused and slightly frightened. A quick read of Zuko's facial features proved that he was affected by the same something she had been by.

Sokka noticed the tension displayed by the pair, and quickly moved to stand beside his sister. "Come on, Katara. The war council is gathering," he said, gently taking his sister's arm and drawing her away from the exiled prince. Sokka cast Zuko a questioning glance, but the elder boy shrugged and found he was as helpless to explain as the water bender was.

Sokka frowned, but led his sister over to the center of the Alliance of Nation's temporary camp, where a fire blazed brightly. "Katara, I know you don't want to hear this," Sokka said, gripping his sister's arm just a bit tighter, "But keep your temper in check, okay?"

"Fine," Katara replied shortly, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"It's definitely your moon time," he grumbled, and Katara scowled before punching his arm.

"What was that for?" Sokka demanded incredulously, and Katara flicked her braid over her shoulder.

"For being infuriating," she replied, and marched off, leaving Sokka in her wake. Suki rushed over to the boy, glowering.

"What did you say to her?" she demanded, and Sokka groaned.

"Not you too! One hormonal girl I can handle, but two? Two?" He lamented, and Suki rolled her eyes before hitting him in the same place Katara did before stalking off after his little sister. Sokka then turned an incredulous glance towards Zuko and spread his arms wide in a 'what did I do?' fashion.

"Women," Zuko grumbled under his breath. This was his first time ever having to deal with a girl during her moon time, and he hated it. Absently, he wondered at how Sokka managed to survive growing up in a land where there was all women and nothing but women. The thought alone made Zuko shudder.

By the time the pair had reached the bonfire, the discussion of what to do was already underway. Aang sat quietly in the center of it all, Katara to one side of him and Toph to the other as he listened attentively to every word being spoken. Zuko noticed with distaste that Beno, Jet, and Haru were sitting as close to the waterbender as possible, glaring at each other every few seconds.

"Pathetic," he muttered under his breath, and Sokka turned to him with a raised brow. When Zuko merely shrugged, Sokka rolled his eyes and instructed the younger boy to listen.

"A surprise attack would be best!" General Tyro was arguing while a Lieutenant that neither Zuko nor Sokka knew of shook his head quickly.

"No! They must know of the date by now. A surprise invasion would lead to nothing but destruction!" he argued. The two teenaged boys found a seat beside Iroh and Hakoda, who both shot their respective sons a reprimanding look for their tardiness before turning and to listen again.

"But with all our advantage of bending…" a Captain put in, and yet another man shook his head.

"They have superior technology. And should the date of the Eclipse be wrong," Sokka stiffened at that, "or should it not last long enough for victory, we will be slaughtered!"

Zuko listened to the proceedings, a slight ache in his heart. No matter how hard these people planned, they were going to lose the war. Zuko closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, he felt his uncle's gaze pinned on him. Zuko ignored the curious and oddly knowing look, and rather forced all of his attention on the argument.

"I have a suggestion." Hakoda's entrance into the argument left Sokka quietly stunned, and the rest of the camp fell to a hush. "Infiltrate the Fire Nation."

Several cries of disbelief were heard, and then pandemonium broke loose. Hakoda held up his hands and called for silence. "We have on our side the Dragon of the West and the Exiled Prince Zuko. They know the Fire Nation better than anyone, and they could easily lead a team inside."

At this point, Iroh also rose, much to Zuko's horror. "The Fire Nation Navy will be patrolling the waters, but they will not be searching passenger ships. If we all begin our journey within the week, we will arrive at the Fire Nation unharmed and prepared for battle."

Hakoda nodded towards Iroh and then continued. "Those of us who don't sneak in will approach on the water, and serve as a distraction for our men inside," he finished.

Once again, discussion broke out amongst the members of the Alliance of Nations, but all fell silent when the Avatar stood. "I agree with Chief Hakoda and General Iroh," he said, his twelve year old voice dead serious. "My friends and I will leave within the week." He announced.

Sokka looked to Zuko, and met the boy's grim face.

This could only mean one thing: they were heading straight into the belly of the dragon. And, as Zuko knew without a doubt, Azula was a dragon that showed no mercy.

* * *

**A/N: **Short and not my best, but I've been going through a rough patch in my life lately. Anyway, thank you everyone for the amazing response I recieved last chapter. It really was a pick me up. **Once again, I am going to request 20 reviews.** I am no longer holding my story hostage, but I still do enjoy getting feedback from all of my wonderful readers. Especially since I wrote until a quarter after one so that all of you would be able to read this in the morning.

If you have any questions on anything...the story, characters, plot, or whatever, feel free to mail me.

Happy reading,

Sandra


	18. Love and War

Three days. Three days was all that they had left until they departed for the Fire Nation. Zuko's gut clenched, and he squeezed his eyes closed. They would be traveling under assumed names, and thanks to his Uncle's various contacts in the White Lotus Society, would have jobs in a Tea House directly in the middle of the Fire Nation capitol.

Zuko threw a stick into the flames of the campfire, watching as the flames hissed and crackled before consuming the wood. It was fire's destiny to destroy and conquer. It was the Fire Nation's responsibility to educate and reform the rest of the world, or so Zuko had once believed.

His exile had changed him profoundly, he knew. The people he once believed to be barbaric, he now saw as simply different, though bearing all of the intelligence that he possessed. He had once thought the war to be a great endeavor; The Firebender's Burden to be a task of utmost importance. Now, all he saw was the effect that defeat would have on the people that he traveled with. Zuko was a different man than he had once been.

Zuko felt for the paper in his pocket with trembling hands, and then pulled it out to read over again. It was short, simple, and written in code, giving only the information of their whereabouts. Swallowing convulsively, Zuko added another line, informing his sister of their destination.  
He averted his gaze from the paper to the flames, and his hand clenched tight around the missive. With a quick glance to ensure that everyone was asleep, he walked over to the fire. He lifted his arm and began to loose his hand, and almost allowed the paper to fall into the flames. Almost.

The image of the gang's blotchy, poisoned bodies rose to haunt him, and the thought of his honorable Uncle cast from the records of the Fire Nation and executed made his stomach do flip flops. If he didn't send Azula the information, someone else would. And when she learned that he was withholding information, she would show no mercy.

Zuko took a shuddering breath and stepped away from the fire, shaking his head quickly. No. He couldn't double cross Azula. He couldn't allow her to hurt those who meant the world to him. And if they hated him, so be it. Before he could change his mind, Zuko rolled the letter into a tube, and tied the bit of glass securely to the messenger pigeon's foot with fumbling fingers.

When the pigeon took off into the night, Zuko felt his stomach drop and he broke out into a cold sweat. He let out a shuddering breath and clenched his teeth as he blindly took a seat on the rotting log beside the fire. There was no use dwelling. He had done what he needed to do, and there was no going back.

_No going back…_ Zuko raked his fingers through his hair and rested his head in the heels of his hands, closing his eyes against the world that he had come to love, but was inevitably going to lose. He glanced towards where his Uncle slept soundly, and felt his throat constrict. He needed his Uncle's guidance more now that he ever had before. He needed Iroh to tell him that everything would be all right; to rekindle his hope as his uncle had done in the midst of Zuko's search for the Avatar.

However, as much as he needed his Uncle's direction, he knew that was a gift that he no longer deserved. He was on his own this time.

A gentle touch on his arm drew him out of dark thoughts, and he jerked his head up. Katara sat beside him, a blanket wrapped about her shoulders, and her hair impossibly mussed. Zuko remembered a time when he had thought she looked ridiculous coming straight out of bed. Now, however, as he stared at her, the thought occurred to him that he had never seen her look more beautiful.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked softly, and Zuko quickly directed his gaze back to the fire, disturbed by the feelings that had begun to flood him when she was near. They weren't as pleasant as he wanted them to be, and they certainly were not welcome.

"No," Zuko replied, and refrained from adding that he hadn't slept well in quite some time now. "I'm sorry if I woke you," he added, carefully keeping his gaze averted.

Katara yawned, and then waved him off. "'S'okay," she replied easily, and then clutched the blanket closer around her. "It's cold for late spring," she observed softly, her eyelids heavy.

Surprised by the comment, Zuko turned to look at her and found that her face held no guile. It never did. She was innocent as a rose, and impossibly kind. So much so that it made him wary of her, despite their blossoming friendship. There was such a thing as being too good, after all.

Zuko's muscles jerked when Katara did the unexpected…she scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Awkwardly, he wrapped his arm around her waist, feeling extremely uncomfortable and oddly vulnerable. Not to mention her being so close to him did horrible things to his mind, and sent urges to his body that he forcefully blocked out, not wanting to disrespect her.

Katara felt Zuko skin heat underneath her cheek, and she cracked her eye open just in time to see the troubled expression that clouded his features. With a frown, Katara drew back and gently rested her hand on that of the boy's. "Zuko, what's the matter?" she asked softly, genuinely concerned.

He'd been so different lately; so closed off from her and their friends. He was in pain, Katara knew, but she had no idea what it was that bothered him so deeply. Whatever it was, though, she was certain that Azula was at the root of it. She felt his hand stiffen underneath hers, and she reached up to cup his unscarred cheek. "You can tell me anything, you know. No matter how bad it is, I won't hate you," she promised, and she meant every word.

Zuko turned to her, and blue eyes met gold. For the briefest of moments, their situation seemed so unbearably familiar, although she couldn't quite place why. Zuko chuckled softly, and then shook his head, breaking the spell. "You'd be surprised," he replied quietly, and Katara felt unease grow in the pit of her stomach.

"Listen to me," she said softly, and then cupped both of his cheeks with her hands and applied gentle pressure so that he was meeting her eyes once more. "No matter what you do, Zuko, I could never hate you," she said, her voice low but filled with conviction.

He was the son of her enemy, and had betrayed her trust horribly, but he was her friend and her brother in arms. She would never leave his side, no matter how heinous a crime he committed. She would stay because he was her family, and family stood by each other no matter what.

Zuko surprised himself by reaching over and laying his palm against Katara's cheek. By the way her breath hitched in her throat, Zuko knew that she was just as shocked as he was. "You could, Katara. You just don't realize it yet," he replied, his voice in a near whisper as he gently rubbed his thumb across her cheekbones.

Katara's eyes widened at the touch as she felt tingles run down her spine. "Z-Zuko?" she breathed, a frown forming between her brows. There was something in his eyes she'd never seen before, a dark, glazed sort of look that sent her heart to pounding with an emotion that she couldn't name.

Zuko stared down at her, feeling his lower gut pull in that now familiar way when he saw Katara's eyes cloud over and her lips part ever so slightly. Barely conscious of what he was doing, Zuko trailed his thumb across Katara's cheek and to her lips. He saw her eyes slide closed as the digit slipped from her bottom lip to her chin.

And then, he kissed her.

It wasn't planned, or expected, or even wanted all that much, but his lips were on hers, and suddenly, not much else mattered to Zuko. He felt Katara stiffen under his touch, and the arm he had around her waist tightened, drawing her closer to him. After another moment of resistance, she melted.

Shocked at her surrender, Zuko was still for a moment. But that faded quickly, and ever so gently, he brushed his lips across hers, tasting her cautiously. She sighed against him, and Zuko felt his head swim when her tentative fingers raked through his hair.

He smiled against her lips before deepening the kiss and slipping his hands up to hold the back of her head. For the briefest of moments, Zuko allowed himself to forget Azula and the war, to forget the fact that one day he was going to betray the girl that he held so close to him now.

When Katara felt Zuko's tongue slip past her lips and flick against her own, she was jerked back to reality. This relationship could never work, even if she wanted it to. The world would refuse their union, Aang's heart would be broken, and her father… It was better to end this now, before it got out of hand.

Katara jerked back, her breathing harsh and her eyes wide. Blinking, his eyes glassy, Zuko stared at the girl who was quickly backing away from him. "Katara…" he breathed, his breaths shaky and uneven.

"I…I…," Katara stammered, and the tears filling her eyes were a punch to Zuko's gut. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, pushing herself up and rushing away, her blanket clutched tightly between her fists. She turned around once and saw the pain that filled Zuko's face at her rejection.

"Zuko," she whispered compassion flooding her, but then her eyes filled again and she shook her head before running away.

Zuko watched her go, and then dropped his head to his hands, cursing himself for kissing her, but cursing himself all the more for caring so damn much.

---------------------------

"We need to go over the plan again," Sokka announced and a chorus of groans rose to meet his voice. The boy scowled. "Come on, we have to get this right. Just one slip up and we're finished," he said, and then drew his finger across his throat to emphasize the point.

"I would agree with Master Sokka," Iroh spoke up, and Toph let out an especially large groan

Bato chuckled at the girl, and made a point of informing Hakoda that the blind child would fit into their family quite nicely. Toph blushed uncharacteristically, and Suki suppressed a scowl as she scooted closer to Sokka and took his hand between her own.

"Let's begin by saying our names," Sokka said, casting Suki an inquisitive glance.

"Mushi," Iroh said.

"Lee," Zuko said, his voice glum and his eyes averted to his hands.

"Sheng," Sokka.

"Aki." Aang.

"Kaya," Katara.

"Tetsu," Toph.

"Suki," Suki said with a smile, grateful that she at least would be able to retain her name in such a foreign land.

"I am Uncle to all of you," Iroh continued now that they had spoken their names. "Lee is my nephew, and Kaya his young wife. Suki, Kaya's brother Sheng's wife, has recently lost her parents in an influenza epidemic and her younger siblings, Tetsu and Aki, are now in the couple's custody. Since Kaya is the only family that they have left, they have followed her to the Fire Nation."

Katara nodded along with the rest, although her stomach churned at the thought of having to play the part of Zuko's _wife_. A day before, she wouldn't have minded, but after what had happened last night… Katara flushed slightly at the memory of Zuko's lips against her own.

His kiss had been so different from Jet's. The freedom fighter's touch had been quick and powerful. It had made her senses whirl, and her breath still, but it was missing something. Zuko's kiss hadn't lacked any fire, but it had been tempered. And in his arms, she had felt safe. Safe, and wanted, and needed, and…

Katara snuck a glance towards the boy who she knew she had hurt. They could never be. He may not understand now, but one day he would appreciate the fact that she was stopping such nonsense before it had a chance to truly begin. Hopefully, they would be able to part ways as friends.

If they didn't, Katara didn't know what she would do. She had come to rely on Zuko, and making sure that he was okay had become important to her. She wanted to still be able to talk with him when she thought that nobody would understand, wanted to keep the connection that they had built between each other. Katara sighed softly, and rubbed at her tired eyes.

Once the meeting was over, she and the firebender definitely needed to have a talk.

"…Our employer is Ye Zhi," Katara heard Iroh say, "He knows nothing about our true identities, so we must play our parts to the fullest. We receive one day a week off, and it will be then that we meet with our allies and scout the capitol to discover any weaknesses."

Toph groaned. "Come on, Uncle. This is all we've talked about for days now. Can't we just enjoy our last day in the Earth Kingdom in peace?" the girl exclaimed, and Iroh smiled fondly at her.

"All in due time, my dear. Are there any questions?"

"Isn't there a way that we could take Appa with us?" Aang asked mournfully, and Iroh sighed softly.

"I'm afraid not, my boy. Appa is one of a kind, and would immediately alert the Fire Nation to our presence." Iroh had said the same thing to the boy a hundred times, but knew that it did little to ease the pain of separation. "But maybe if…" Iroh murmured under his breath at the Avatar's crestfallen expression. "I will work something out," Iroh promised, and Aang beamed at him.

Katara smiled at the boy, and then turned to look at Zuko once more. He was studiously avoiding her gaze, and Katara sighed slightly in frustration. When the impromptu meeting began to break up, Katara stood with every intention of heading towards the firebender and sorting things out. Jet's hand on her arm, however, halted her progress.

"Hey, Katara," the boy greeted her, and this time, his suave smile didn't turn her knees into jelly.

"Jet," she greeted him coolly, and the Freedom fighter frowned at his reception.

"Hey, I was wondering… would you like to stop by my tent sometime. We should probably…talk."

Katara narrowed her eyes and brushed his hand off of her arm. "Quite honestly, Jet, I don't have much to say to you. After the stunt you pulled with my father, I don't really want to speak with you at all."

"Katara, baby, I was only…"

Katara made a quick gesture. "Save it, Jet. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to," she said, slipping past the boy and heading towards Zuko. Jet saw her intent, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I wouldn't trust him, if I were you," he said casually, and smirked slightly when Katara stopped. "I know the whole 'scarred prince' mystique must draw the girl's in like flies, but something's off with him."

"What are you trying to say?" Katara demanded, and Jet shrugged.

"Have you ever thought that maybe he isn't really on our side? Maybe he's working for his crazy father? I have this feeling, Katara…"

"I don't want to hear it!"

"…this feeling that he's using you."

Katara's eyes narrowed and she took a step closer. "You're one to talk," she replied, her voice low pitched and her fists clenched at her sides. With that, she spun on her heel and stalked away, ignoring the fact that the Freedom Fighter was calling after her. But by the time she had gotten away, Zuko was gone.

Iroh stood in his place, a worried expression on his face. When he saw Katara, he gestured her nearer. "I believe that we have a need to speak with each other," he said softly, and Katara blinked in confusion.

"Sure Uncle, but what…"

"Not where we can be overheard," he stopped her, and Katara's frown deepened. Nevertheless, she followed the aging man to his tent and sat when he indicated for her to. Once the tent door had been closed behind him and the candles had been lit, Iroh turned back to face her.

"I need to speak with you about my nephew," he said, his tone serious and troubled.

Immediately, Katara flushed. "It was only a one time thing!" she blurted. "I mean, we're friends and I don't want a stupid mistake we made to change that. And I'm sorry if I hurt him by leaving, but…" she trailed off when she caught the stupefied expression on Iroh's face.

Katara's flush deepened, and she found that she couldn't meet the elder man's gaze. "This isn't about the kiss, is it?" she asked miserably, realizing that Iroh probably hadn't known until she had said something.

"No, it's not," Iroh replied, his voice laced with amusement. Katara dropped her head into her chest, humiliated. Iroh smiled softly at the girl, and gently patted her shoulder. "But a kiss is nothing to be ashamed of. And you don't need to be embarrassed about telling me anything that happens between you and my nephew," he added, and Katara managed to glance up at him and smile.

"What about Zuko?" she flushed, and then quickly rephrased her question. "What about him do you want to talk to me about, I mean."

"Have you noticed that he's been acting different lately?" Iroh asked, and Katara frowned.

"Ever since Azula. Yes. Why?"

Iroh sighed, and turned away. "How so?"

Katara's frown deepened. "He hasn't been sleeping well lately, I've noticed. And he's pushing all of us away. Even when he kissed me…" she trailed off, and flushed again. Iroh gave her a small smile and motioned for her to continue. "…even then he seemed…I don't know."

Iroh nodded slightly. "Yes, I've noticed the same thing. I've tried speaking with him, but he is very vague, and often changes the subject."

"Uncle, why did you come to me about this? Why not Sokka?"

Iroh smiled sadly and shook his head. 'Because, my dear, Zuko doesn't feel for Sokka like he feels for you. Of all of us, he's opened up to you the most."

Katara's eyes widened, and she stared at Iroh, terrified. Iroh gently touched her arm. "I suppose that's because you remind him so much of his mother. Believe it or not, you and Lady Ursa are made from the same mold." Iroh heaved out a sigh. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Still shaky, Katara nodded. "Anything."

"I need you to look after Zuko for me.

"What! But…"  
"You may not realize it now, little Katara, but you feel just as strongly about my nephew as he does about you," Iroh said gently. "Whether or not I'm happy about your feeling is a different matter," he added, his voice troubled.

"Uncle Iroh, you don't understand. Zuko's my friend; I'd never…We don't…I…" she stammered, and Iroh held up his hand to stop her flow of words.

"Forget I said anything. But there was a reason that in our assumed identities you are his wife. Zuko trusts you more than anyone save me, but even I can't get under his skin like you can. And he may open up to you when you are alone…"

"You want me to spy on him?" Katara demanded, jumping up from her sitting position, staring at Iroh incredulously.

"No. Not spy. You don't need to tell me anything that he says. I just…I need you to be there for him when I can't be," Iroh finished, and Katara's anger faded away.

"What do you think is wrong?" Katara asked after a moment, and Iroh turned his head.

"I don't know," he replied, his gaze averted. Katara didn't need Toph to know that the old man was lying.

----------------------

Later that night, Katara sat beneath the boughs of a large swamp tree, her eyes closed as she listened to the music of the night. Crickets chirped, murky water sloshed against the bank, and every so often a screech owl lent its voice to the din.

Katara sighed, thinking back to her conversation with Iroh. The man knew something, of that Katara was sure. Just what it was that he knew, she hadn't the faintest idea. Katara shifted her weight so that she was leaning back, resting on the heels of her hands.

And Zuko… Katara still wasn't sure what to think about him. Just the other day, she had entertained the thought that Zuko was, in fact, attractive for the very first time. But even then she had clung to the idea that they were just friends. Good friends.

Zuko's kiss had changed everything.

If he was merely a friend, would her heart pound every time she passed him and her lips tingle in memory of his touch? If it were Aang who kissed her, she could have quietly put the incident aside, as she had in the Cave of Two Lovers. But with Zuko…

So there was attraction, Katara reasoned with herself. She was attracted to Jet and Haru as well. That didn't mean that she had feelings for any of them. She thought of Zuko's troubled face, and her yearning to make it all go away. _Or did it?_

Katara let out a frustrated sigh and fiddled with her braid. Now was _definitely _not a good time for a relationship. They would be in an enemy land, surrounded on all sides by people who would kill them without a second thought. Being in love would only get in the way. Wouldn't it?

"Sokka," Katara heard Suki's voice through the foliage, and squirmed suddenly. She should leave the pair in privacy. She should walk away and continue thinking elsewhere. However, she stayed where she was.

"Katara said something a little while back…" The girl's voice was troubled, and Katara wracked her brain to think of something she might have said to turn a Kyoshi warrior into a trembling schoolgirl. "…about a girl named Yue."

Katara sucked in her breath. _Oh. _He heard Sokka shift his weight and clear his throat uncomfortably.

"What did she tell you?" he asked, his voice well guarded.

"Nothing. When I asked, she told me to talk to you about it." Suki replied softly, her voice tremulous.

Despite herself, Katara slid closer and parted the branches of the bushes so that she could see as well as hear. This was a private conversation, she knew, and she should be leaving immediately. But something, perhaps her own troubled love life, made her stay and watch.

Sokka heaved out a sigh and stared at the girl before him. The warrior had been reduced to wringing her hands with worry, and Sokka realized that there was no way he could tell her the truth without hurting her. "Yue is…was… the Princess of the North Pole." He paused and glanced towards Suki, and noticed that she had braced herself for the blow.

"I was in love with her."

The statement hung in the air between them, and he saw Suki swallow convulsively. "You met her after me, didn't you?" she asked quietly, and Sokka could feel the heartbreak in her words.

For the briefest of moments, Sokka entertained the idea of lying to her. But in the long run, he knew, lies would her more than truth. "Yes," he replied, his voice equally soft.

He had expected her to cry, or to hit him and dash off. What he hadn't expected was for Suki to lift her bowed head and ask him, "What was she like?"

Thrown by her inquiry, all Sokka could do was stare. Then, he got hold of himself again and found his attention was riveted to the moon. "Yue… she was selfless. She was going to enter a loveless marriage for the good of her people, and she died for the world."

Suki's breath caught in her throat. From the gentle, tender tone of his voice, it sounded almost as though he were still in love with the girl. "Was she beautiful?" she asked softly, half afraid of the answer.

Sokka didn't look back to Suki. Rather, he kept his attention glued to the full moon above. "The most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he breathed. "She had the softest, gentlest smile… And her hair…it was as white as the moon. I have never seen a color like that since her."

"And she was kind…" Sokka continued. "So kind. She was soft and gentle, and everything a woman from the Water Tribe is meant to be."

Suki took a step backwards, closing her eyes against the pain. Never had she been more aware of her plain features, and she had never been ashamed of her stubbornness or the fact that she was a warrior until this moment. She pressed her hand against her heart, where the scars from her encounter from Azula remained.

He would find her ugly if he saw them; she knew that now. His princess had been a rose, and Suki was merely its thorny stem. Hard to touch, and plain to look at.

Sokka glanced town from the moon, a tender smile gracing his lips as he whispered a goodbye to his first love. "But Yue was no Suki," he said softly, reaching down to cup the warrior's tear stained cheek.

"You've taught me so much, Suki. You've taught me the meaning of love and devotion…taught me that beauty comes from within, and that love is found in so many forms.

"Yue was the first girl I ever cared about. But the way I felt about her can't compare to how I feel for you," Sokka continued, his heart full. "You are one of my best friends, my sister in arms, and the woman I care for more than any other. You complete me, Suki." Sokka leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Suki turned her head away from him when he tenderly ran his fingers over the scar tissue on her collar bone. "Don't," she whispered hoarsely when he gently unbuttoned the fabric of her shirt and drew it aside to reveal the massive scar that stretched from her breast to her shoulder. "Please," Suki pleased as the tears continued to fall. She didn't want Sokka to see her like this; didn't want him to remember the ugly, rippled tissue that she so painstakingly tried to hide.

Sokka gently pressed his lips against the scar, and then looked her directly in the eyes. "You are beautiful," he whispered, and Suki no longer tried to stop the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

Sokka gently tilted her head back and looked into her eyes. "I think I've fallen in love with you," he breathed softly, just before he kissed her.

Suki wrapped her arms around Sokka's neck and held him as though she would never let go. "I love you too," she breathed between kisses, melting completely into Sokka's embrace.

Katara pulled away from the scene, not wanting to be a witness to what she knew would soon follow their soft words and loving kisses. She swallowed convulsively as she pushed herself to her feet and walked away from her brother and his warrior, her thoughts contemplative.

Maybe it was better to have someone to rely on when surrounded by enemies.

Perhaps love was needed in a time of war.

* * *

**A/N: **Two updates in one day! Amazing, isn't it? And the first real Zutara moment! Aren't you pleased?

We all know Sokka to be the sarcasm and meat guy, but in my fic, I'm attempting to show his character development from that boy to the man that we have just begun to glimpse in the past two chapters. In writing this, I have discovered that I love the Sukka pairing, and if Suki dies in the real show, I will be be very, very upset.

**Review please! **As I've said before, I love feedback and your opinions on my story.

Happy reading!

Sandra


	19. Talks

"Zuko?" Katara asked softly, and watched the boy's shoulder's tense when he heard her voice. "Zuko... I think we need to talk." Katara wrung her hands nervously, dreading the conversation that was to come. But it was necessary, she knew.

When she saw Zuko give her the slightest of nods in agreement, Katara gingerly took a seat beside him. "I'm sorry," Zuko said before Katara had a chance to form the words. For a moment, all Katara could do was stare, and then she bit her lip.

"It was stupid of me," Zuko continued, his face averted from hers as he poked at the remnants of the fire with a stick. "It won't happen again." The words sounded rehearsed, and did little to hide the fact that he was both confused at his own actions and hurt that she had rejected his advances.

"It wasn't your fault," Katara replied, a corner of her mouth turning upwards. "I kissed you back. I…I wanted it just as much as you did," she admitted, and flushed when Zuko finally turned to face her, his good eye wide with disbelief.

"Then why did you run?" Zuko asked before he thought, and cursed himself for sounding like he cared. He didn't. He wasn't hurt at all, not in the slightest. Or so he tried to convince himself.

Katara gave a soft, mirthless chuckle. "I was terrified," she admitted, her voice in a near whisper. Zuko cocked a brow, and Katara's flush deepened. "You're my friend, Zuko, and I don't want to lose that. Being in a relationship with you…" she sighed softly, and glanced away. "It wouldn't end well."

Zuko nodded solemnly, hearing and understanding the truth of her words. When she learned of his betrayal, he was without a doubt that she would hate him. And if they had been intimate beforehand, Zuko knew her hatred would be even harder to bear.

"I want to stay friends, Zuko," Katara continued, impetuously leaning over to clasp one of his pale hands between her own. "I don't want that kiss to make us feel awkward around each other. Can't we just admit that it happened, say that… that we both enjoyed it, and move on?" she pleaded, and Zuko squeezed the hand that he was holding.

"Sure," he replied softly, the faintest smile lighting upon his lips. She would not be his in the physical sense, that he knew, but he would have her for a time. And while he may not be free to act on how he felt, he could feel however he wanted. Somehow, he knew that she had made the same promise to herself.

Katara sighed with relief, and then gave the boy beside her a bright smile. "Friends?"

"Of course."

Katara's smile widened, and she looked into the flames. Within two weeks, they would be living in the nation of fire; the place where Zuko had been born and banished from. "Are you looking forward to going home?" she asked softly, and felt him stiffen beside her.

Zuko shrugged, unable to answer the question. In his imaginings, he had always returned to the Fire Nation as a hero, the Avatar bound and gagged behind him as he made his triumphant entry into the capitol. His father would respect him and apologize for all of the years of enmity, and his sister would go back to being the child she had once been.

In reality, he was arriving as the Avatar's ally, and would be working in a hole in the wall tea shop where no one would hear of him or his shame.

He couldn't wait to see the mountains of his homeland, but at the same time, he knew things would be irrevocably different from when he had left. _Do I really want to go home? Is it even home anymore?_

"Sorry. I wasn't thinking," Katara hastened to say when she saw the boy's face darken with the weight of his thoughts.

"We're leaving in a few hours. You should probably get everything packed," Zuko replied, effectively changing the subject.

Katara nodded, and went to walk away. Before she left, however, she bent and gently rested her hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, remember that we're all there for you," she said softly, as though she understood his confusion, before heading back towards the camp.

Zuko watched her go, and he refused to acknowledge the ache in his chest. She was right, he knew. It was better that their relationship ended before it began. A sense of loss fell over him, and Zuko quickly shoved the feeling to the back of his mind, scowling.

"I don't know what you're up to," A voice came from behind him, and Zuko stifled the impulse to jump in surprise. "But I'm going to find out."

Zuko turned to face the Freedom fighter, the scowl on his face deepening. "Doesn't this feel familiar?" he muttered in reference to Jet's accusations of him during their time in Ba Seng Se.

"I was right then too," Jet reminded the exiled prince, his trademark smirk gone and anger settled over his visage. "And the only reason that you're alive right now is because Katara wants you to be."

"Like you could kill me," Zuko replied darkly, lifting a plume of flames into his hands menacingly. Uncle would disapprove of his behavior, he knew, but at that moment, Zuko just didn't care.

"I've had several opportunities," Jet replied smoothly, and the smirk returned when Zuko glowered at him.

"As have I."

"So, we're both fools for the same girl," Jet said, his tone at once knowing and mocking. Zuko's glare darkened. "Listen to me, and listen good, Fire Nation scum," in an instant, a hooked sword was pressed tightly against Zuko's throat. "Whatever it is that you're doing, leave her out of it."

Zuko swallowed hard, but his glare never wavered. "Who says I'm even doing anything?" he muttered, and Jet's smirk widened.

"You're Fire Nation. You're up to something." The sword pressed harder against Zuko's flesh and a thin drop of blood dribbled down the blade. "You hurt her, I'll kill you." The Freedom Fighter's voice was cold, and Zuko didn't doubt the truth of his statement.

"I doubt you'll get the pleasure. Sokka's already reserved the right," Zuko replied with a dark smile, and was rewarded by the utter rage that swept over the Freedom Fighter's features at his mocking tone.

"Before this war is over, I will find out exactly what you are doing," Jet vowed, "And when I do, there will be no one willing to save you."

_Isn't that the truth? _Zuko thought, but said nothing, even while knowing that he was incriminating himself with the silence.

Jet stepped back and sheathed his blades. "Until I see you again, your highness," the Freedom said, his lips pursed as he bent himself over in a mocking bow. Then, the boy turned and vanished into the darkness of the swamp.

Once he was sure Jet was gone, Zuko slumped and pressed his hand against his throat, wincing when it came away with a thin trail of blood. _What have I gotten myself into?_

---------------------------

Once again, Katara found herself face to face with her father. Neither spoke for several minutes, and it took a nudge from Sokka for Katara to finally step forwards. "I apologize for my behavior earlier this week," she finally said stiffly, her tone forced and the apology itself unconvincing. Sokka slapped his forehead in frustration.

Hakoda smiled slightly at his son, and then turned back to his daughter. "As do I. It was uncalled for to accuse you in front of others," he added, casting a sidelong look to Sokka who gave him a thumbs up.

"Fine."

"Fine."

Stiff silence reigned, and then Hakoda sighed. "I love you, Katara. You know that, don't you?" he asked softly, his voice warmer than before as he gently touched her cheek.

Katara didn't answer, but leaned into her father's touch. How had their relationship come to this? From being Daddy's little girl to being so awkward with one another that Katara could hardly bear to be near him?

"Do you really love me, Papu?" Katara asked quietly so others wouldn't be able to hear. "Or just who you want me to be?"

Hakoda stiffened and drew himself away, pain in his eyes. "How could you ask me that?"

"Because it needed to be asked."

The strength in his daughter's voice made Hakoda more than just a little bit nervous. He was silent for a moment, before gently picking up a lock of her hair and twirling it about his fingers as he'd done when she was a small child. "Your brother said something to me the other day, and it made me realize something," he replied to her question after a time. "I don't really know you. I remember Kata, the child, but I don't have a clue to who Katara, the woman is."

Katara nodded slightly, and bit her lip hard to stop the flow of tears. Her father gently cupped her chin, and tilted her head upwards so that he could see her eyes. "But I love you, because you are my daughter." He tugged on one of her hair loops and smiled. "And once this war is over, I'd like to get to know you for who you are now."

"As a warrior?" she asked with a watery smile.

"And as a woman," Hakoda replied, turning to his son and giving the faintest of nods. He may not completely agree with Sokka's newfound philosophy, but if it would mend the gap between him and his daughter, Hakoda would be willing to try it.

Katara stepped into her father's embrace, and closed her eyes against the tears that welled just beneath the surface. "I love you too, Papu," she whispered against his shoulder as she clung to him. Hakoda rubbed her back softly, and then met his son's eyes above his daughter's head. Sokka smiled at him in approval, and Hakoda was suddenly proud of the man his little boy had become.

"Take care of her," he reminded Sokka as he gently placed Katara away from him, and Sokka nodded.

"I can take care of myself," Katara replied, and her father placed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"I know you can, Snow Bear. But sometimes, it's better to have someone close to you watching your back," he replied gently, and Katara nodded, the smile returning to her face.

Iroh gently touched Katara's shoulder, and the girl turned to face him. "We must be going now," the elder man told the girl, and the waterbender took in a shaky breath before nodding.

They would by flying on Appa to Kyoshi Island, from which they would board a passenger boat to an Fire Nation town in the Earth Kingdom. From there, they would sail to the Fire Nation capitol. Katara wasn't particularly looking forward to any of the voyages.

"I don't want to say goodbye," Katara admitted, turning to her father once more. "It seems too permanent."

Hakoda gently squeezed his daughter's shoulders. "I'd agree," he said with a soft chuckle. "I'll see you soon," he said, softening the pain of their separation with more gentle parting words. He chucked her chin, and the girl's smile widened.

"Yes. I'll see you soon," Katara replied, allowing herself to be drawn in for one last hug. She stepped away, and allowed her brother to take her place in her father's arms. The two men exchanged goodbyes, and Hakoda nodded in acknowledgment of Suki when his son stepped away.

Katara started when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Aang standing beside her. His closeness now surprised her, seeing as how he had made himself scarce over the past few weeks. "Hi," she said softly, and Aang squeezed her shoulder slightly.

"Hi," he replied, giving her the crooked smile that she hadn't realized she missed so much. "I know the feeling," he said, gesturing to where Hakoda was parting with both Iroh and Zuko, the later looking very uncomfortable.

"Gyatsu?" Katara asked, and Aang nodded.

"He was the closest thing to a father that I ever had." He replied with a sheepish shrug, his mature words tempered by the typical actions of a twelve year old boy.

"I missed you," Katara said with a light smile, nudging the boy with her shoulder and causing him to blush. "Don't be a stranger anymore, okay?"

Aang paused for the briefest of moments, staring at the girl who he loved and was desperately trying to give up. He missed her company probably even more than she missed his, but he knew what could happen if he returned to being as close to her as he was before. He may never be able to give her up, may never achieve the Avatar stare. But at the same time, the needy twelve year old in him cried out for affection, and at that moment, feeling won over reason. "Okay."

His reward was a bright smile, and a brief hug that made his flush deepen tenfold.

"Alright, lovebirds, break it up," Sokka exclaimed, humor laced through the annoyance in his voice as he strode over to the pair. "There's a time and place for everything, but not for _that!_"

Katara laughed, and slapped her brother's shoulder playfully. "So you and Suki get to sneak off in the middle of the night, but I don't get to give my friend a hug?" she teased, and grinned in triumph when she saw her father's eyes darken as he looked to his son. Suki flushed, and shot Katara a glare.

"Not how it sounds, Dad. Not how it sounds," the boy said with his trademark nonchalance and a smile pasted on his face. He then turned to Katara and narrowed his eyes. "Shut up," he hissed, his frown creasing his dark forehead. Then, he stood with a smile, and slung his arms around Suki's shoulders. "We ready to go?" he asked, suddenly eager to be away from his father and the prying questions he knew were soon to come.

"Of course, of course!" Iroh exclaimed, turning to face the little group. "But before we go… why don't you all say thank you to General Tyro for this lovely package of tea?" Iroh exclaimed, holding up a small parcel and beaming. Sokka and Zuko slapped their foreheads and groaned at the same time, while Toph laughed in amusement at the horror she felt through their vibrations.

"Thank you, General Tyro," Aang replied dutifully, and Sokka made a gagging noise and Suki shoved him roughly. The water tribe warrior quickly turned the gag intro a cough.

"She's got you whipped," Toph observed with a smirk, and Sokka paled.

"No she doesn't!" He protested. "If I was whipped I'd do everything she told me to!"

Suki raised a brow, and then winked towards Katara. "Sokka?" The boy in question immediately turned to her, and Suki grinned. "Get on the bison," she said, pointing towards Appa.

Sokka went to open his mouth in defiance, and Suki casually opened her fans with a quick jerk of her wrist. "Yes, Suki," the boy muttered, thinking better of protesting. Toph snickered, and Aang had to cover his mouth to stifle a laugh.

Zuko, however, chuckled openly, and Sokka whirled around to pin a glare on the boy. "You're whipped," he noted in amusement and his uncle cuffed him on the back of his head, although the man did so with a smile.

Sokka grumbled under his breath as he clamored onto Appa, tugging a bit too hard on the bison's fur in some places and making the beast growl in impatience. Aang grinned, and then wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Looks like things are back to normal," he observed, his mouth tipping slightly more to one side than the other.

"It's not normal until that one starts begging for meat," Toph replied with a jerk of her thumb towards Sokka.

Just then, Sokka's voice carried down to them from the bison. "Hey! Do we have any food up here? I'm starving!"

"Keep a lid on it, Pony Tail," Zuko shouted up to the bison, and Sokka scowled.  
"How many times do I have to tell you? It's a warrior's wolf tail!" the warrior replied, his pride injured once again by the flippancy with which his hair was treated.

"_Now_ it's back to normal," Toph observed, the grin evident in her voice. "Now if we could only get them to start cursing at each other again…"

"Toph!" Katara reprimanded through her laughter, and Toph shrugged indifferently. The water bender watched as Aang helped the blind girl climb up to the bison's back, and felt warmth grow in the pit of her stomach. After so long a time of being separated emotionally, they were finally returning to the family that she knew and loved.

She glanced towards Zuko, whose sudden good mood seemed to be gone seeing as how he sat huddled against the corner of Appa's saddle, obviously wanting to be left alone. Katara's smile slipped, and she felt her heart sink and the warmth that filled her dwindled away. They were almost the same family that had been fused together by hardship, but they still had a ways to go, she knew. Zuko met her eyes, and then glanced away quickly, making Katara's frown deepen as she made her way up the saddle. _A long ways to go._

----------------------------

"I know it's been a while," Sokka whispered, staring up at the moon outside the room the gang had been given in Kyoshi. Their greeting had been enthusiastic, and the entire village had arrived to welcome the leader of their warriors and the Avatar. The foaming mouth man had even given a repeat performance, much to Iroh's amusement.

There had been many tearful, joyful hugs shared between Suki and her girls, and many more introductions.

The festivities afterwards had lasted long into the night, despite the gang's weariness. Iroh had rediscovered an Earth Kingdom alcohol made from corn and had retired to the house, rosy cheeked, long after everyone else had fallen asleep (much to Zuko's displeasure).

Sokka, however, had been unable to succumb to slumber, guilt beginning to gnaw at his insides. When everyone had fallen asleep, the boy had crawled over to the open window, and begun what had once been his habitual talk with the woman he had first loved.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, staring down at his hands as the light of the moon caressed him like a lover might. It was stupid, he knew, to believe that she could communicate with him but he could have sworn he felt her near him, telling him that his absence was understandable.

"It's just…Yue, I…" Sokka sighed harshly, and ran a hand through his shock of coarse, dark hair. "This is harder than I thought it would be," he admitted softly, a humorless chuckle rising out of him. He felt understanding radiating from the moon, and he wondered briefly if it was just a figment of his imagination.

"I met this girl…" he began, but then found that he was unable to continue. "…Suki. She…I…" he sighed again and then frowned deeply. The moonbeams shone just a little brighter, reached out to touch his face as though in encouragement.

"You were the first girl I ever loved, Yue, and a part of me will never stop loving you. You were the girl I dreamed about when I was a kid, and you'll always be a part of me." Sokka paused and licked his lips. "But Suki… she is everything I _didn't _want, but she's everything that I need. I…I love her," he admitted, and waited for the anger he was sure the moon was to emanate.

Instead, he felt understanding and compassion. There was sadness there, to be sure, but it was almost as though the girl in the moon was gently urging him to continue with his life. "Thanks," he whispered. Sokka felt a tear slip down his cheek, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.

"So…how are things up there? I bet you have one heck of a view," he joked, becoming once again the boy the moon spirit had fallen in love with.

Katara watched from the darkness, her heart constricting at the sight of her brother, basked in the moonlight, and mourning the Princess in the only way he knew how. She sighed softly, drawing her knees to her chest, and leaning against the wall of the large room. Somehow, she had a feeling that her first romance would be damned as surely as her brother's was.

She slid her gaze over to Zuko, expecting to see him laying on his back, his lips parted slightly and snoring gently as he slept. Katara had watched him enough to know exactly what his sleeping habits were. However, she found his amber eyes trained on her, the moonlight making them glint through the darkness.

She started slightly at the sight, wondering if he had seen the longing on her face for a romance as great as that of the Peasant Boy's and the Moon Spirit's. If he had, Zuko made no indication. Giving the boy a small smile, Katara patted the space on the floor beside her.

Zuko stilled for a moment, as though taking a seat so close beside her was a bad idea. For the briefest of moments, Katara felt horribly foolish. But then, Zuko scooted along the floor, careful to avoid their sleeping companions, and stopped mere inches from her.

"Does he always do this?" he whispered, gesturing to the young warrior.

Katara sighed softly, wrapping her arms tighter about her legs. "Before Suki came, he didn't miss a night," she replied, her voice equally low so as not to alert her brother of their conversation. "Back in Ba Seng Se, he would sit in the gardens until the sun came up."

"Sweet enough to rot your teeth," Zuko muttered under his breath and Katara nudged him before smiling wistfully. Zuko caught the expression, and smiled slightly to himself.

"I think it's very romantic," she breathed with all of the innocence of one still naïve to the tribulations of their world. "It'll be a legend one day," she added. "Sokka's name is going to go down in history."

Zuko chuckled, careful to keep the sound as quiet as possible. "The name 'Sokka' will be forgotten. As will the name Yue. History will remember them as the Princess and her warrior, or the Princess and her Peasant. I'm not quite sure which one has a nicer ring to it," he teased slightly, and Katara grinned.

"Father's the chief, remember?"

"Of course, Your Highness," Zuko replied dryly, a small, crooked smile playing over his lips. Katara chuckled, and then leaned her head against the boy's shoulder with all the ease and comfort of a seasoned friend. Zuko's smile slipped, and he tried desperately to keep his body from going rigid at her casual touch. The last time she had been so close to him…

The thought of his tongue against hers and her lips pressed against his made his head swim with images best left unthought-of. He quickly shoved them away with the strength and determination of a Fire Bending master, and then slung his arm over her shoulders in what he hoped was a friendly fashion. From the smile that curved on her lips, Zuko knew he'd done something right.

"We're going to be married soon," she observed after a while, her eyes still closed, and still resting against him. This time when Zuko tensed, she felt it. "That scared?" she teased, lifting her head and cracking one eye open. Zuko blanched.

_Only of being alone with you for so long. With no supervision. And hormones. _"Nothing I can't handle," he replied softly, his voice coming out more confident than he thought it would.

"It'll be a hard act to keep up," Katara said, chewing on her bottom lip. When Zuko's hand grasped her own, she stilled.

"We can do it," he assured, her but Katara still looked unconvinced. "Hey, worst comes to worst we can play the role of the bickering couple. I've heard it said that there's only love until marriage. Then, you learn you're spouses hygiene habits and everything gets tossed out with the trash."

Katara smiled at this, and then leaned her head back on the boy's shoulder. This was the Zuko she knew and had adopted into her family, this boy with a dry sense of humor and a capacity for caring. Not the reclusive boy that had been with them since he had escaped Azula's clutches.

She felt him sigh, his breath ruffling the hair at the top of her head. Katara's eyes slid closed, and she felt the steady beating of his heart beneath her cheek. With the softest of smiles curving on her lips, Katara slipped into slumber.

For Zuko, however, sleep was not to come for a long time. He needed to write Azula of their whereabouts, and soon, he knew. For the thousandth time, he considered lying to her; considered taking death as it came. And for the thousandth time, one look at the girl in his arms made his gut clench and his eyes swim at the thought of her death.

Zuko sighed harshly, bending his head so that his forehead was pressed into the dark waves of Katara's hair. He couldn't write to her now. On Kyoshi, his every move was watched, and any messages he sent would be confiscated and read through carefully. Once they reached the Fire Nation Town in the Earth Kingdom, he vowed, he would send his sister a brief note.

What was one missive, he reasoned with himself when guilt once again began to claw at his insides. After all, that one slip of paper was all that stood between his new family and their deaths.

* * *

**A/N:** Due to another complaint of my demand for reviews as well as the fact that I held my story hostage three chapters back, I'm am apologizing to you all again. As I said before, I didn't mean to offend, and yes, I do realize that reviews are gifts. That being said...

Sorry that this chapter wasn't exaclty my best. It was pretty much a filler, and a set up for the next chapter that I'm writing. Try as I might, I just couldn't get into this one. However, I did work on a little bit every day so that you could all have the next chapter of Eclipse within a week.

It looks to me that this fic is going to be somewhere between 25-28 chapters long...Hey, we're already more that half done! But don't worry. There will be a sequel.

**Review Please! Thanks so much for reading. **

Sandra

Moment of shameless adverstisement: Check out my drabble, oneshot, and vignette series, Loved and Forbidden100. All zutara, ranging from depressing to bittersweet to humorous. Please read it. You'll love it. (Hopefully)


	20. The Calm Before

The gang had decided to spend their one and only day on Kyoshi at the beach. Zuko _hated_ the peach with a passion that rivaled his sister's love for Fire Bending. He hated how the coarse sand would find a way through every last inch of clothing he had put on; hated how the grainy stuff would stick to his hands and take residence between his toes. He hated how his eyes burned when he opened them under the sea water, and how he choked and gagged when a salty wave came at him too strong.

He had been dragged along, Sokka on one side, Katara on the other, and Uncle pushing his back. When they had finally succeeded in getting him to the shoreline, they had run off, stripped, and jumped in the water like the children they were. His uncle included.

And so, Zuko had been left to fend for himself on the spirits cursed, too hot, too grainy spit of land while the _children_ splashed each other like maniacs. He had carefully laid a towel out on the sand, taking special pains to ensure that not one grain would disturb him. After carefully settling himself on the towel, he placed a sun-hat on his head. He wasn't gifted with the ability to tan like the Water Tribe children, after all. Rather, he turned as red as a steamed crab and was miserable for days after his misadventure with the sun.

That wasn't the worst of it. He now had two new reasons to hate the beach: He saw his uncle naked from the waist up (which was almost as scarring as seeing the man entirely naked)…and Katara's white undergarments were far too revealing when soaked with the salty water.

Grumbling, Zuko kept his gaze riveted to his hands as he cursed Agni for his fate. He felt a body plop down beside him, and started before pinning a glare on the blind girl. Belatedly realizing that she couldn't see the expression on his face, Zuko's scowl deepened and he grumbled out a curse.

"Sucks, huh?" Toph muttered, kicking at the sand and sprinkling Zuko's leg with the grainy substance. "And this is supposed to pass as earth?" grumbled, lifting as handful of the sand and feeling it sift through her fingers.

"Awful stuff," Zuko agreed whole heartedly, brushing at his leg vigorously to ensure that none of the substance would remain on his form.

"Can't see a thing on it," Toph added, her voice dark and brooding.

"And it gets between your teeth."

"And in your hair."

"Up your nose."

"And under your fingernails" Toph added, and Zuko almost snorted with amusement. This coming from the girl who always had her hands caked in dirt?

"How'd they get you here?" Zuko asked after a moment, and Toph scowled, her blind eyes pointing at the direction somewhere over his shoulder.

"Tricked me into getting me far away from solid ground and then Twinkle Toes air bent my ass over here. You?"

Zuko grimaced. "Uncle, Sokka and Katara. Didn't have the heart to kill any of them with my firebending," he explained gruffly, and attempted to ignore the grin that Toph cast in his direction at Katara's name. "So, how'd you keep out of the water?" he asked, quickly changing the subject before it truly had a chance to arise.

"I'd earthbend them all from here to the moon if they tried to force me in there, and they know it," the blind girl replied smugly, cracking her knuckles in pride. "You just threw a tantrum."

"Did not."

"You would have," Toph retorted with an unladylike snort. "And why would they want to deal with a little kid? Of course they left you alone."

"Uncle's the real kid around here," Zuko muttered, casting a glare at his uncle, who was splashing Aang with all of the reckless abandon of a ten year old child.

"Nah, he's just old. They regress," Toph explained, and Zuko rolled his eyes. "So… what's with your vibrations lately?" Toph asked, her tone a bit too sly for Zuko's liking. Almost as if…

"How much did Uncle pay you to pry?" Zuko asked dryly, and Toph smirked.

"I'm Toph Bei Fong, Sparky. I'm not exactly in need of anything," she replied, sounding at once mocking of herself and haughty of her family line.

"Sparky?" Zuko asked with a quirked brow, and Toph shrugged.

"Scarface doesn't seem appropriate anymore," she admitted, and then slapped him on the back with bruising force. "You're one of us now, you poor son of a hogmonkey."

Zuko grimaced at the tough love, and thought to the letter that he had yet to write. _Part of your family, Toph? Hardly. _

On any other occasion, Toph would have felt his guilty vibrations, called him on it, and then beat him to a bloody pulp until he admitted what he had done wrong. Today, however, the sand distorted her perception of the world, and allowed her to miss Zuko's guilt entirely.

A sudden splash of water that soaked through the brim of his hat, disrupted his towel, and sent a horrible wave of sand over his unsuspecting lap made Zuko jump to his feet and growl. Toph did much the same thing, struggling to lift a wall of sand, but unsure of where her attackers were.

Katara stood waist deep in the water, brown hair falling down her back in waves that were now curls from being drenched in her element. "Stop moping and get in here," she exclaimed, a sunny smile on her face. Zuko's eyes narrowed and he heard Toph growl from beside him.

"We're not moping," Zuko muttered, glaring at the young waterbender much as Toph would be if she could see.

Another wave rose, and descended over the pair, making Zuko choke and stutter. Toph stalked away, billows of sand rising up from her heels as she muttered something about hormones, flirting, and stupid waterbenders.

"Get in here," Katara ordered, the grin on her face not quite matching the authoritative tone of her voice. Iroh moved to stand beside her in the water, and Zuko cringed at the sight of his uncle's rather large torso, sprinkled with white hair.

"You really should listen to her, Nephew," Iroh commented, smiling as well.

Zuko grumbled, slammed his sopping wet sunhat back on his head and plopped back down on his wet, mud covered beach towel with a grimace.

"Come on, Princess," Sokka exclaimed, joining his sister and the retired general. That did it. Zuko's eyes widened, and he marched over to where the waves lapped at the shore, his arms crossed over his chest and golden eyes narrowed.

"I am _not_ getting in there!" he exclaimed, pointing to the churning, salty water. "You forced me here," he continued, indicating the beach, "But under no circumstances will I…" His flow of words was cut off when another wave rose unnaturally from the water and sloshed over him, filling his eyes with salt and his mouth with brine.

Sputtering, he wiped his eyes free of the water, and opened them in time to see Katara doubled over with laughter, Aang, Suki, Sokka, and Iroh joining in. Without another word, he lunged at the girl and succeeded in tackling her. Her surprised oomph and the abrupt end of her laughter made him grin. Unfortunately, he hadn't paused to consider the consequences of his actions. He had gotten his revenge, but she had succeeded in getting him into the ocean.

"You…you…little wench!" he exclaimed when she started laughing again, and tackled her a second time. Iroh chuckled softly, and then sloshed away, calling for the others to go and play a game with him. The antics of the pair now beginning to become more expected and less amusing, the children joined him.

Oblivious to their departure, the pair continued to splash at each other, and after a time, Zuko forgot about his anger and actually began to have…fun. Once the splashing and fighting had lost its intensity, and smiles had grown onto both of their faces, Katara lifted a ribbon of water from the water, and poked Zuko's shoulder with it.

"Admit that you love it!" Katara exclaimed, spinning around once so that beads of water sailed through the air around her and the sea swirled about her hips. Zuko watched her with an amused smile, and his throat closed slightly at her demand. He had always hated the beach…always. But the sight of the young water bender, laughing with abandon as she played like a child in her element made it tolerable. Her sunny smile even made it enjoyable.

"I guess I do," he admitted hoarsely, though his eyes were trained on the girl. She didn't notice his attention, naive as she was.

Her grin widening a fraction, Katara stepped closer and lightly shoved his shoulder. "Wasn't that painless? Maybe next time I won't have to drag you out here," she teased.

Almost subconsciously, Zuko rested his hands on her hips is response to her proximity, and he moved just the slightest bit closer. Katara's smile slipped off her face, and her eyes widened. "Zuko?" she said softly, unable to lift her voice any higher than a whisper.

She was close…so close. If he were to angle his head just so and lean in just a few inches… her eyes had already slid closed, almost as though she wanted him to kiss her; as though she hadn't truly meant her words that they should remain friends and nothing more. If Azula knew what he was considering… _Azula!_

Zuko abruptly released Katara and he threw her a half hearted, crooked grin. "Sorry," he apologized, stepping far enough away to put some distance between them, but close enough to show that he still cared.

Katara's eyes snapped open, and she managed to give him a slight smile as well. "Zuko…" she paused, as though reconsidering what she was about to say. "…let's go join the others," she amended, and Zuko frowned at the sudden change in her demeanor.

Before he could think on it too seriously, she sloshed towards him and grabbed his wet hand within her own. "Come on," she urged, once more the girl she had been several minutes before. She was confusing sometimes, Zuko had to admit. One moment giggling, the next crying, and the next angry as hell. She had as many sides to her as a brilliantly cut crystal, and a depth to her spirit that rivaled that of the ocean.

The banished prince wasn't quite sure which side of her he liked the best: the maternal, kind one, the water bending master, or the young woman that he had glimpsed only briefly, and only when she had been in his arms. When she cast him another smile and tugged on his arm just a bit harder, Zuko smiled.

He supposed that he liked them all, for without one, she wouldn't be the girl who could give him one smile, one squeeze of the hand, and make him feel like all was right with the world.

----------------------------

"Come along, Kaya," Zuko said, grabbing Katara's elbow as he steered her towards the docks. It had been agreed that the moment the Earth Kingdom vessel had pulled into the harbor on Kyoshi Island, the gang would take on the mantle of their assumed identities. Which meant that he and Katara were now married. And would be sharing a cabin on the ship together. Alone.

"Stop it, Lee. Let me look," Katara insisted, craning her neck to see some trinket or another in the market place.

"You could have been doing this yesterday!" Zuko exclaimed in exasperation. Katara rolled her eyes and continued to look. Suki grinned as she bounded up beside the pair, and tossed Zuko a wink.

"Aw, leave her be. Newlyweds aren't supposed to fight, you know!" Zuko cringed, and Katara laughed a little uncomfortably. From beside Suki, Sokka's face screwed up slightly in distaste. He hadn't approved of this charade from the get-go, but he and Zuko had spoken on the matter. He was sure the boy wouldn't try anything on his baby sister, but still…

"Yeah. They're supposed to…" Toph threw in, and Katara, Zuko, and Sokka all informed the little blind girl to close her mouth in tandem.

"What?" Aang asked, his brow screwing up in confusion again. Katara smiled, and gently patted Aang on the cheek.

"Nothing," she said in her customary motherly fashion, and Aang scowled.

Iroh chuckled at the antics of the little group. "Come, nephew. We must board the ship before the captain decides that we aren't worth his trouble," Iroh said, prodding the little group forwards.

"Tell her that!" he exclaimed, pointing towards Katara.

"She's your wife," Iroh replied with a good natured smile, and Zuko fumed.

"Come on," he grumbled, grabbing Katara's arm and marching forwards, much to her frustration and the rest of the group's amusement.

"I have my own money, mister, and If I want to shop, I'll shop!" she exclaimed, struggling against his grip on her arm. The pair had made it past the marketplace, and Katara was definitely upset about this new development in their relationship. "Stop acting like you're my father!"

Zuko growled in the back of his throat, stopped, and yanked her against him, pressing a rough kiss against her lips before releasing her. Sokka's eyes bugged out in shock, but Suki squeezed the warrior's hand to keep him from screaming bloody murder.

Katara, shaken, stared up at the boy with wide eyes as she pressed her fingertips to her lips. Zuko didn't much care about either of the siblings' reactions. His kiss had achieved exactly what he wanted: for the first time since they had left the room lent to them, their belongings strapped to their backs, Katara was both quiet and compliant.

Iroh raised a brow at his nephew, who frowned deeply in response. "Let's just get to the ship," the boy grumbled, and Iroh nodded, suppressing a smile of amusement. Hopefully, Agni would look kindly on the boy and force Sokka to be mild mannered on the subject later on.

Aang watched the pair move forwards, Katara no longer resisting, and felt his gut clench. Zuko had _kissed_ her. And what was worse, she had let him. She may not have realized it, but Aang saw the way she leaned into the exiled prince for the briefest of moments before he pushed her away. Aang didn't need Toph's earthbending skills to know that her heart had been pounding in tandem with his, and probably still was every time she looked at Zuko.

Aang swallowed hard, and closed his eyes tightly. He knew Katara better than he had known anyone in a long time…almost as well as he had known Gyatso. And so he knew by the look on her face when Zuko had pulled away as well as the ease with which Zuko had accomplished the task, that had not been their first kiss.

He knew what the pair would say: we're supposed to be married. That was a normal thing for a married couple to do. But Aang knew that this went beyond Kaya and Lee. It was Zuko and Katara.

"Those vibrations again," Toph sighed from where she stood beside Aang, and the boy quickly straightened shoulders he hadn't realized were slumped and lifted his feet off of the ground so that Toph wouldn't be able to feel him so easily.

"Funny how something so good for two people can be so awful for another person, isn't it?" she asked, the usual hard edge of her voice tempered so that it was soft and…womanly.

Aang turned to face her, half surprised that she wasn't yelling at him for not being rooted to the earth. She was looking in Sokka's general direction, and Aang looked over at the boy in time to see the warrior give Suki's hand a light squeeze before releasing it.

Aang whirled around to face Toph, his jaw slack. The earthbender nodded once, just to let the young Avatar know that he wasn't alone in his pain. Aang gulped, and then managed a shaky smile. "Yeah…it is," he agreed, and Toph gave him a slight, if not sad smile.

"Come on lovebirds!" Sokka shouted over his shoulder, and Suki smacked him hard on the back of his head. Quickly remembering that 'Aki' and 'Tetsu' were supposed to be siblings, Sokka attempted to mend his mistake by instead saying, "…er, kids!"

Toph rolled her eyes, and then turned to Aang. "This ought to be interesting, huh, Aki?" she asked, and Aang laughed for the first time since their excursion to the beach a day before.

-----------------------

Six days. It had been six full days since Zuko had last contacted her. That in and of itself would have been tolerable, but his last letter had explained that he and the Avatar's merry little band of whelps would be heading to the Fire Nation; reports indicated that a flying bison had been seen heading in the direction of Kyoshi. _Double crossing little snit!_

Azula picked up one of her brother's wanted posters, and bent the edges slightly as she thought. Mai was lounging, toying with her knives as per usual while the too perky Ty Lee was going over stretching exercises. "Zuko has betrayed us," she announced, and watched Mai's face crumble with a queer combination of sympathy for her friend and pleasure at the girl's pain.

"Are you sure?" Ty Lee asked, the habitual smile slipping a fraction as she made her way over to Azula. The princess glared at the girl, and Ty Lee's smile widened back to its usual size as if to say, 'I'm sorry, Azula. I know you're never uncertain!'

"What do we do?" This came from Mai, her face now composed and her voice steady as she tucked the dagger she had been toying with back into her sleeve. Azula glanced at the girl out of the corner of her eye, and acknowledged the girl's strength with no small measure of respect. However, her loyalty was in question.

Mai truly believed that Azula didn't know of her little stunt back when Zuko had been her prisoner. But Azula had known. She knew that Mai had gone down to him, knew that the girl had fed him despite her orders, and most importantly, Azula knew that Mai still loved the worthless creature.

Azula had no doubt that the governor's daughter feared her. She knew that the girl respected her and called her a friend. But the question was: where did her loyalties lie? When push came to shove, who would Mai choose? The man she loved or her childhood friend?

Instead of answering Mai's question, Azula glanced back down to the image of her brother, the edges of the paper now creased from where she had been worrying at it. Without a word, she lifted the paper and ignited it.

Mai never flinched or cried out. She remained as calm and poised as always. However, her eyes never strayed from the hastily rendered ones of Zuko's on the burning, crumbling poster.

------------------

Zuko woke in the dead of the night, the rumbling snores of his uncle reaching his ears. Quietly, he pushed scratchy blankets off of his body and swung his legs around so that his feet could touch the floor. A cautious glance upwards revealed that Katara was asleep in the top berth, curled tightly around her pillow. Zuko smiled slightly in amusement and then knelt to rummage through his bag.

Silently and efficiently, Zuko withdrew a piece of parchment, ink, and a quill, and then quickly scribbled out a note to his sister informing her of their intentions and apologizing for being unable to reach her earlier. That done, the boy padded out of the cabin on silent feet, casting a wary look over his shoulder to ensure that Katara and his uncle were still asleep.

Assured of that fact, Zuko continued onwards, the paper grasper tightly in his hand as he made his way up the stairs to the deck of the ship. With quick, nimble fingers, Zuko released a messenger pigeon from its cage and thrust it into the air once the note had been secured to its foot.

His task complete, Zuko slumped forwards, his arms bearing his weight against the rail of the deck. He was exhausted in every way possible. His sleep was plagued by nightmares, his waking hours by guilt. Quite honestly, Zuko had no idea how he would keep up his charade until the end of the war. He didn't even know if he _wanted _to.

"What're you doing up, Sparky?"

Zuko whirled around, and noticed with sympathy that Toph's steps were less sure on the deck of a boat; that the independent earthbender had to walk with outstretched hands to ensure she didn't hurt herself.

"Couldn't sleep," Zuko replied, reaching out and grasping Toph's wrists in his own to both steady and guide her over to the rail. She shook him off, but nodded her thanks anyway.

"Yeah, me neither," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "Even on this cursed hunk of trash, I can still pick up a few vibrations. Things get pretty uncomfortable for me when Fangirl and Snoozles get all lovey-dovey," she muttered, and a corner of Zuko's mouth turned upwards into the slightest of grins.

"I can imagine," he replied dryly, and Toph snorted.

"Look, Sparky, not like I care or anything…" Toph began, and Zuko smirked at the nonchalance she attempted to force into her voice. "…but something's been eating you. Something big. Spill."

Zuko snorted. "What? Besides the fact that my joining you has made my exile permanent and ruined any and all chances at reconciliation with my father?"

"Yeah. Besides that," Toph replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"A man is entitled to his secrets," Zuko replied stiffly, and Toph narrowed her eyes. Seeing her suspicious expression, Zuko sighed harshly. "Look…Toph, er, Tetsu…I just have a lot of things to think about, okay? I need to figure some stuff out, but I have to do it alone."

"You don't have to, you know," Toph said, and then scowled upon realized that she actually sounded concerned. "Sugar Queen would be more than willing to help you," the earthbender amended hastily, and Zuko had to suppress a smile at the façade the child put up.

"I know."

The pair was silent for the space of several heartbeats, and then Toph yawned loudly. "I'm heading back downstairs. Hopefully, certain people will be a lot quieter now than they were earlier," she muttered, backing away from the rail and taking faltering steps in the direction of the stairwell.

"Need help?" Zuko offered, and grinned when Toph rolled her eyes.

"Sparky, the day that I need help is the day that I lose my earthbending. It ain't going to happen," she replied with a wide smirk before turning and slowly making her way back down towards the cabin again.

Zuko shook his head as he watched her go, and then turned back to stare out at the ocean. The waters were calm, for now, but Zuko knew that they had the capacity to be violent and lethal. It was only a matter of time until the storm would hit.

--------------------

**A/N: ** I was originally going to make this chapter longer, but then I figured that I'd kept all of you waiting for the next installment long enough. The result: a second filler chapter. I apologize a thousand and one times for that most disappointing fact.

I have discovered that I absolutely LOVE writing about Ozai's angels. Expect a lot of scenes with them in the sequel.

Thanks for reading! **PLEASE REVIEW! **

See you soon.

Sandra


	21. The Storm

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Zuko asked as he and Katara strolled along the deck, arms loosely linked with each other's to keep up their charade.

"No," Katara replied somewhat stiffly, and Zuko rolled his eyes.

"You are."

"Well, it is in a husband's rights to drag his wife around and kiss her in front of her family, isn't it?" she muttered, her tone not the least bit understanding.

"Actually, yes," Zuko replied dryly, not looking at her. When he felt the heat of Katara's glare, he turned to face her with an amused smirk. He chucked her chin affectionately and then shook his head. "Sorry," he apologized, and Katara sighed.

"Apology accepted," she replied, more because she felt she had to than because she actually had forgiven him. "I still don't understand why you wouldn't let me shop!" she added after a moment, and Zuko shook his head, a slight smile beginning to play over the corner of his lips.

"We need to save our money."

Katara rolled her eyes. "We have plenty! A trinket or two wouldn't have done much damage."

"Perhaps. But you need to purchase _Fire Nation _trinkets, not Earth Kingdom ones. If we're going to live in my country, we're going to need to make you blend in," he reasoned, and Katara humphed out another sigh. She knew that she was being childish over the matter, but she truly couldn't help herself.

"Fine," she murmured, and this time, Zuko couldn't contain his smile. Impetuously, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Katara's temple. The girl turned and glowered at him but didn't protest his touch.

"Ah, Lee…so good I had the chance to catch you this morning!" Sokka's voice carried over the deck, and both Zuko and Katara cringed. The pair quickly put space between them, and turned to face the warrior headed their way.

Sokka had a smile plastered on his face, but his blue eyes were smoldering. "I believe that we have a _lot_ to talk about," the boy said, coming to stand in front of Zuko, and the friendliness of the boy's voice did little to hide the undercurrent of anger in his words.

Zuko raised a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes?"

"Alone," the boy muttered between gritted teeth, casting a pointed look in Katara's direction. Zuko suppressed a shudder, but his pride made him refuse to give in to his desire to plead with Katara to stay.

"Don't be a jerk," Katara warned, pointing at her brother, and Sokka pasted on his best innocent smile. Katara cocked a brow, shook her head, and then walked away.

Once he was sure that Katara was out of earshot, the smile slipped off of Sokka's face and his expression changed into a deep scowl. "I thought we agreed that she was off limits," the boy hissed, his voice low to ensure that no unwelcome ears could hear their conversations.

"She is," Zuko agreed, crossing his arms over his chest. "But we're supposed to be…"

"Married, I know. Don't give me that sack of hog monkey's dung! I see the way you look at her, and I don't like it. And you're using this…this…whatever it is…as an excuse to touch her! I thought you were better than that; really and truly, I…"

"Sheng!" Zuko interrupted Sokka quickly, realizing that the warrior's voice was rising and drawing unwanted attention. "Stop it, and listen to me. I would _never_ intentionally hurt your sister. _Never._ I promised you that I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her honor, and I won't."

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "But you want to," he observed, his voice dark and his eyes darker.

Zuko said nothing for a while, and then he heaved out a sigh. "Sokka," he whispered the name so that no one could hear, even if they were trying to. "Your sister is…she…" Zuko sighed harshly, and then closed his eyes. "If you're asking me if I want her, the answer is yes." Sokka's eyes bugged out of his head, and he went to draw his boomerang.

"But she's my friend, and so are you," Zuko continued hastily, and Sokka paused. "Touching her would mean that I lose both of your friendships, and I'm not willing to let that happen. Believe me when I tell you that I agree that Katara is off limits."

Sokka drew a long breath and met Zuko's eyes for a full minute. The firebender was by La honest about the matter, and Sokka knew that he would be a fool to accuse him of otherwise. After hesitating a moment more, Sokka nodded and tucked his boomerang back into his belt.

"Sorry," Sokka apologized stiffly, and Zuko's good eye widened with surprise. "It's just that Katara's been looking at you differently lately, and I…I was worried that something might have happened," the young warrior admitted, and then took a seat on one of the barrels on the deck of the ship.

"Not what you're thinking of," Zuko replied with a half hearted smile, and Sokka cringed before rubbing a hand over his forehead.

"It's too difficult to be both a parent and a brother to the same girl," the water tribe warrior muttered under his breath, and Zuko gave the boy a slight smile in sympathy. "I just…I need to know something," Sokka continued, and Zuko felt his stomach do a somersault.

"You admitted that you want her, but…" Sokka sighed, and then met Zuko's somewhat nervous gaze. "Are you in love with my sister?"

The question was so unexpected that Zuko felt his throat close and his mouth go dry. It had only been recently that he had begun to see Katara in a different light; to see her as a woman rather than a child. How could he know whether or not he loved her? He admired her strength and her courage; appreciated her kindness and beauty. He had known many women, but something about Katara made her rise above them all.

Zuko looked at the girl's brother, who seemed to be searching his face and body language for the answer to his question. "I…"

"Sheng! Lee!" Katara's voice interrupted whatever it was Zuko might have said, and both boys straightened before turning to her. "Come quickly!" she called, and Sokka's heart dropped at the trace of panic that he heard in his sister's voice.

The firebender and the warrior rushed over to the girl, who was standing by the rail amidst at least a crowd of other nervous passengers. "Look," she exclaimed when they had made their way through the press of bodies and pointed towards the horizon.

"Fire Nation," Sokka muttered grimly when he saw the ship heading towards them, and a brown hand moved to rest on the hilt of his boomerang.

Zuko squinted to block out the glare of the sun, and his breath caught in his throat at what he saw. The ship heading towards them was at once familiar and unmistakable. "Azula," his uncle supplied so that he wouldn't have to, and the members of the gang drew a collective gasp.

_Azula. No, this isn't supposed to happen! She promised me that they would stay safe. She promised that she wouldn't hurt any of them! _"Azula always lies," he muttered to himself, his voice low and his eyes closed. No one heard the comment save for Iroh and Toph, but the latter left the comment to sibling rivalry. Iroh, however, found a deeper meaning in the words.

"Are you sure?" Sokka demanded, his voice as hard as steel, and Zuko was forced to realize that this boy could one day be a formidable opponent to the Fire Nation, should he assume the mantle of Chieftain after his father.

"Certain," Iroh replied, his voice equally grim. "But we must not show any outward form of aggression; not without being attacked first. We are supposed to be Fire Nation natives who are devoted to our country's cause," Iroh added, his voice low pitched but loud enough for the gang to hear.

Sokka turned to Katara, careful to be as unobtrusive as possible. "Get ready. They're going to start shooting the fire balls soon. It'll be up to you and Aang to deflect them." Katara and Aang nodded briefly, their eyes never leaving the ship that was fast approaching.

For a moment or two, the ship fell silent, and the wind died down to nothing. _The calm before the storm_, Zuko noted absently with his gaze trained on the horizon. And then, the spell was broken. A fire bomb large enough to rend the ship in two hurtled towards them at a speed Zuko hadn't realized it was capable of traveling. Screams of terror broke out from the other passengers, and Zuko grit his teeth against the noise.

In a quick fluid motion of bent knees and lifted arms, Katara bent a wave from the ocean and lifted it high enough to deflect the fire. The steam that filled the air upon the explosion was so thick that the gang couldn't tell friend from foe, couldn't see just how close Azula's ship had come to them.

When the air cleared, another barrage of the bombs was launched towards them. Aang flicked open his glider and sailed out to meet them while Katara shifted her stance, going on the offensive rather than the defensive. As the wave she had summoned crashed towards Azula's ship, a row of fire benders assembled. In a joint motion, flames leapt from their hands and dissipated the brine.

Azula cursed when a thick curtain of steam descended again. So, Zuzu had won their loyalty, had he? That had been the plan, of course, but since he had double crossed her the situation had become far more fragile. As of that moment, nothing would have given her greater pleasure than for the Avatar to be equally against her brother.

"How close are we?" she demanded to no one in particular as the haze began to clear.

"Within shooting range." Azula was surprised that it was Mai who answered her, but kept her expression neutral. She took in Mai's appearance for the briefest of moments, a practiced eye reading the girl's face and posture. To anyone else, the governor's daughter would have looked collected and nonchalant. Azula, however, took in the slight tremble of her hands, the barely discernable twitch of the girl's upper eyelids.

She was nervous.

"Good," Azula replied, whether to her thought or Mai's statement even the princess wasn't sure. "Launch your attacks!" Azula commanded the fire benders on deck, and they quickly complied. Fire met with water and air; steam and resounding booms echoed across the water.

Azula watched with a sort of calm detachment as the battle continued. The motley little gang was getting tired, Azula could tell. Their attacks were less fierce than they had been at the beginning of the fight, and even from a distance she could see their muscles tremble as they deflected the blows.

Their exhaustion made sense; her entire crew, save for Mai and Ty Lee, consisted of fire benders and a good half of them were participating in the battle. Over fifty seasoned soldiers against three children and one old man. The odds were surely stacked against the pathetic little band who was returning her ship's fire with fervor. It would only be a matter of time until the avatar and her double crossing, scheming, worthless excuse for a brother were in her hands.

"Azula!" Mai called, and the princess whirled to face her friend. "Are you sure Zuko betrayed us? He hasn't attacked us." Her tone was bored, but the veil of nonchalance couldn't fool Azula. Azula narrowed her eyes at the girl, and then turned to watch as her brother fought.

The boy moved with care and precision, carefully shielding the gang from the onslaught of fire, but never launching his own set of attacks. Every so often, he would turn his gaze towards Azula, as though attempting to tell her something. Azula squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes. "He is hoping we will show him mercy," he replied to Mai's observation.

Mai's lips stretched into a thin line, and Azula knew that the girl's knuckles had turned white beneath her fingerless gloves. "Do you doubt me?" Azula asked, her anger masked by a friendly tone, and a slight smile flit across her lips.

"Never," Mai replied tonelessly, and Azula smirked. The princess was no fool. She knew that beneath Mai's plain exterior and apparently bland personality laid a keen and questioning mind. She had formulated her own opinion, one that suited her feelings towards the exiled prince. Azula knew that a streak of pride and stubbornness ran through her friend, and would keep her from truly admitting that she was wrong.

Azula turned back to watch the fighting, deciding to wait until her soldiers had exhausted her enemies before she went in for the kill. Her brother was adept evasive maneuvers, Azula noted with derision. He must have picked it up from the little Airbender. Shameless, really. Despite the cowardly movements, his power and mastering of his element was apparent, as was something slightly more…unorthodox.

"It appears that Zuzu has found himself a lady friend," Azula noted with a smirk. It was a cruel thing to point out to Mai, she knew, but her friend needed to be taught a lesson. And if Azula needed to be the girl's teacher, so be it. She watched with a mixture of sympathy and satisfaction as Mai turned her head towards Zuko a bit too quickly.

The boy fought close to the little waterbender. Although she never seemed to notice, he watched her closely, concern etched on his face. Although he was weakening, his blasts of fire grew stronger and his face more determined every time the girl got too close to an attack. Mai felt her heart stop beating, and she swallowed hard.

"Good for him," she said with all of her trademark tonelessness, although her throat rasped a bit at the implied lie.

"He has forgotten the both of us, it would appear," Azula noted with a slight smirk, twisting the knife in Mai's heart deeper.

"He has never had feelings for me," Mai replied, turning to meet Azula's eyes, pleading silently for her friend to stop. It was usually at her breaking point that Azula turned away, but not this time. This time her friend dropped all pretense and her eyes narrowed.

"He kissed you." Azula continued. "If you're telling me that he has no feelings for you, he used you like he would use a whore. Is that what you are, Mai? Zuko's little whore?" Azula's tone was dark, and the smirk had slipped from her features.

Mai felt a chill run down her spine but she refused to back away. Her pride stung and her heart ached, but she would not allow the Princess of the Fire Nation to get the better of her. Not this time, at least. "I think we both know better than that," Mai replied, her tone equally dark and the boredom momentarily slipping from her voice.

Azula cocked a brow at her friend's temper. "Tell me, if my brother beckoned for you, how long would it take for him to bed you? How quickly would you give in to him?" Azula paused as though she were mulling over the answer. "Not very long, I'd assume." Azula continued, and the smirk widened when she saw Mai's face flush and her jaw clench.

Out of the corner of her eye, Azula caught sight of a flash of pink. She stepped back from Mai, pleased that she had gotten such a strong reaction out of the governor's daughter. "Well, I guess we'll never have the opportunity to find out, will we?" Azula concluded while Ty Lee was still out of earshot, gesturing towards the young waterbender.

"Find out what?" Ty Lee asked with a smile, and Mai turned away quickly, smoothing out her features and losing all expression once again.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Azula replied smoothly, and Ty Lee's smile slipped a fraction before she forced it back into place.

"Oh, okay," the acrobat replied with a shrug of her shoulders, her tone bright.

Azula turned from the two girls back towards the ship her brother sailed on. The civilians were long gone and their screams of terror no longer permeated the air. The children who fought were tired, that much was obvious. Their movements were slow, as though lead were attached to their arms and feet. Azula could see the white's of their eyes and could just barely make out the perspiration on their brows. Now was the time.

"Time to fight, girls," Azula announced, removing her outer robe and throwing it to the ground with all of the negligence of the very wealthy. Her armor was as stiff as the iron her country had invented, and the weight of it was comforting during the course of battle.

She settled into her fighting stance and Mai smoothly withdrew the daggers from her sleeves. Ty Lee stood behind them, useless when it came to long range fighting, but there to support her comrades and sisters in arms

With a crackle, Azula sent a fire bomb the size of a cannon ball towards the enemy ship. Her uncle turned and deflected it in the nick of time, and her brother turned to face her. She could see his face turn ashen at the sight of her, and he faltered. A quick cry from the girl in blue made him spin away and deflect a knife that Mai had sent hurtling towards him when he had been distracted.

Azula watched as her brother and her friend met each other's eyes, and even from a distance she could see the look that passed between the pair. Zuko withdrew his broadswords and Mai her knives. Whatever truce they had made between themselves was over during the course of battle. If either of them were to die by the other's hands, there would be no enmity, only compassion.

Azula's stomach clenched at the look, and she narrowed her eyes at the possibility that Mai could be loyal to both she and her brother. Suddenly, the satisfaction that she had achieved moments before sat like a dead weight in her gut and left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Her brows knit together, and she glared at Zuko, increasing the intensity of her attacks as she aimed for him and only him. He returned none of her fire, instead deflecting it with a combination of bending and Dao forms. Azula fought to maintain her composure, and struggled to remember the lesson's her father had taught her. Rage leads to destruction, destruction to failure, failure to death.

Her calm returned enough to see that the water bender was helping Zuko to deflect the attacks while attempting to fight the other fire benders with the help of Iroh and the avatar. She was spreading herself too thin, but she refused to leave Zuko's side. Azula sneered at the devotion the girl showed to her witless, failure of a brother. The pair obviously depended on each other… At the thought, Azula smiled.

Meanwhile, Zuko continued to fight, his arms leaden and his feet aching. The more they fought the more apparent it became that they were losing. "Get downstairs!" Zuko shouted for the thousandth time to a stubborn Toph. If Sokka wanted to stay aboard, that was his business. He could see, at least. The blind earthbender had no idea what was coming towards her and was becoming more and more of a liability.

"Since when do you think you can boss me around, Sparky?" the girl retorted, unconsciously slipping into a fighting stance.

"Suki! Get her out of here. Drag her down there if you have to!" Zuko shouted in exasperation as he deflected a knife with his broadswords at the same time that he spun away from a blast of fire. Katara put out the flames effectively, and Zuko nodded his thanks.

"Fangirl wouldn't dare…" Toph began, but was stopped abruptly when Sokka lifted her and slung her over his shoulder. With her feet no longer in contact with the ground, Toph was at once truly blind and helpless. She screeched, slapping Sokka's back and kicking her little legs wildly.

"I'm getting them both out of here," Sokka informed Zuko, grabbing Suki's arm and dragging her away from the fight. When she too began to protest, Sokka shook her. "There's nothing we can do!" He shouted, shaking her harder.

"As a warrior, it is my duty to…"

"Protect your comrades. I know. But you're not protecting them. You're a liability." When Suki stared at him, eyes wide, Sokka took advantage of her shock to throw open to door that led to below decks and shoved her through. When Suki was taken care of, Sokka lifted Toph off of his shoulder and pushed her through the door in one motion. That done, he locked the door and ignored the screaming and pounding of both girls.

"You're going to be popular tonight," Zuko noted wryly using humor to conceal the fear that there might not be a tonight. Sokka chuckled.

"There's an extra bed in your cabin. Mind if I bunk with you until the girls cool down?" the boy asked, his stomach in knots as streams of fire rained down on Zuko, his baby sister, Aang, and Iroh. He could do nothing to deflect the fire, and Azula's ship was still too far away for him to put his boomerang to good use. Save for the time Aang had nearly died in Ba Seng Se Sokka had never felt so helpless.

"Not so sure if that's a good idea," Zuko replied through gritted teeth, the muscles in his arms straining as sweat trickled down his forehead. "The girls would get mad at me too. Besides, Uncle snores enough. The two of you in the same room would keep Katara and me up all night."

The boy heard Sokka's indignant yelp at the insult, but Zuko didn't say anything further. Azula's attacks had begun to lose their intensity, almost as though her mind was miles away as she fought. In all of the time he had known his sister, he had never seen her become unfocused without just cause. Her head turned speculatively to the left, and Zuko turned to follow her gaze.

Katara continued to fight, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye every so often, and Zuko could see her weariness. He wrenched his gaze back to Azula, who had suddenly took a fighting stance again. Her attention, however, was not focused on him.

Zuko's gut clenched when Azula's form shifted out of the normal firebending stances and into one far more sinister. A bubble of panic rose in his throat when he realized that his sister was about to shoot a bolt of lightening towards the girl who had come to mean so much to him. What was worse was that the said girl hadn't a clue of Azula's intent.

"Katara!" Zuko cried, dropping his broadswords in his haste to save the girl and allowing one of Mai's knives to slice through the outer edge of his bicep. At that moment, however, Zuko couldn't feel the wound. He ran to the young water bender, his blood pounding in his ears.

Katara dropped her when she heard the boy, and barely registered the wound in his arm when she became aware of a flash of blue crackling towards her. She stumbled backwards, her heart in her throat. She knew that water was just a conductor of electricity, and thus her bending would be unable to defend her against Azula's attacks. She closed her eyes and braced herself for impact without thinking.

Then, suddenly, Zuko was before her, his arms outstretched. Katara watched in horror, sure that the lightening would hit him as it had Aang. The static in the air became great and Katara could feel her hair stand on end as the bolt passed through one of Zuko's arms. He crouched and brought the hand through to the other side in a fluid motion and the lightening flew out of his other arm and was quickly returned to the enemy ship.

Katara's heart thudded in her chest as she stared at Zuko wide eyed, too terrified to smile or manage a thank you. The boy let out a deep breath and gave her a half grin before his face contorted and he fell to his knees. "Zuko!" she cried out, rushing forwards and throwing herself to the ground in order to catch him before his head hit the hard deck.

A spasm went through the boy's body and his face went beat red as it morphed into the most grotesque expression. His body jerked once more and then he slumped and became a dead weight in her arms. Katara shook the boy once, but his head lolled to the side and she received no response. The color slowly drained from his face, leaving his pale complexion gray and ashen.

Katara heard a scream of agony, and goose bumps rose on her arms at the sound. She hadn't heard a noise so bone chilling since the raid that her mother had died in. It was only after a moment that she realized that she was the one who was screaming, that her arms had locked themselves tightly about Zuko as she rocked back and forth in her grief.

Sokka was at her side in an instant, tugging at her arms and attempting to see the damage done to the boy for himself. He was speaking to her, of that Katara was sure, but she couldn't hear the words that he spoke and could barely feel his hands on her skin. A sob caught in her throat, and it wasn't until she looked down and saw moisture on Zuko's face that she realized that tears were streaming down her face.

She glanced upwards and saw Iroh's pained face as he ran towards his fallen nephew, leaving Aang to fend of the attacks on his own. It was only when Iroh threw himself to his knees beside Katara and attempted to tug the boy he loved as a son into his arms that Katara released her death grip on the boy.

She stood slowly, now unaware that Iroh had pressed his hands against his nephew's chest and was breathing life into the boy's body. She didn't hear Sokka shouting her name, couldn't see Aang as he took on a ship of Fire Nation troops on his own. It was as though she were deaf and blind to the world around her, save for one thing.

The massive ship of iron that was so close to their own was where the attack had originated. Barely conscious of what she was doing, Katara slipped into her bending stance and lifted her arms with a strength and power she hadn't known she possessed. A wall of water lifted into the sky, soaring so high that the boat rocked precariously and the sun was dampened by the massive wave.

_So this is what the avatar state is like,_ Katara thought with a strange sort of detachment as she released the wave and watched with a strange sort of horrified fascination as it sloshed over Azula's ship, carrying most of her men with it's powerful force and dragging them to the depths of the ocean.

The earsplitting noise of metal tearing and grinding against metal filled the air, and for the first time, Katara heard Fire Nation soldiers scream and wail with terror. Once the noise was gone and the air fell still, Katara released a great gust of breath and stumbled backwards, feeling faint. Aang quickly caught her in his arms, his eyes wide and scared as he stared down at the seemingly fragile warrior.

Katara slumped against the boy's form before turning to see the havoc that she had wreaked. The entire bow of the ship was gone, and most of it still flooded with water. The captain had continued traveling forwards, and so the ruins of Azula's once mighty warship laid far enough behind them so that she could barely make out who was on deck and who was not.

"It's okay," Aang murmured as he held her slumped, wide eyed form close against him. "It's okay," the boy repeated, resting his chin on her hair.

But nothing was alright. She had just killed spirits knew how many men because Zuko…_Zuko! _Katara broke free from Aang's grasp and rushed over to Iroh who had the boy nestled in his arms. Iroh looked up at her, the horror no longer apparent on his features.

"He's alive," the old man said softly, but the look of pain on his face and tears in his eyes did nothing to settle Katara's nerves. Not trusting what the man had said, Katara took in Zuko's appearance. His face was still gray, his lips tinged a light blue. He couldn't be alive looking like that. Iroh must have concocted the idea through his grief.

Katara pressed to fingers against Zuko's neck, trembling. When she felt his pulse, she found she couldn't breathe. It was slow and it was faint, but it was there. Katara bent low to the ground and rested her head against the boy's chest, relief filling her at the slow, shuddering rise and fall.

He was near death's door, to be sure, but he was alive for now.

For Katara, that was more than enough.

* * *

**A/N: **I haven't updated a chapter this long since chapter 7. Sorry it took so long, guys, but I have a lot of difficulty with battle scenes, and this entire chapter revolved around one. That meant a lot of procrastination, a lot of clicking onto to MSW and staring at the screen blankly for ten minutes before clicking back out.

This fic will be finished by September 21. Yes, it will be over before Season 3 premieres, which is why I've been updating once every couple days rather than once a week. Anyway, I just thought that you would like to know. Just a little over a month, guys!

**REVIEW** please. Due to the fact that fighting scenes are so difficult for me, I would love feedback to see how I did. Thank you so much to all of my dedicated readers. You mean the world to me.

Sandra


	22. Like the Swallow

Katara wrung out the cloth before dipping it back into the cool water. Despite her exhaustion after their battle with Azula, she had yet to sleep. Zuko's welfare was far more important to her than rest. Gently, she dabbed the cool cloth of Zuko's fevered forehead, her heart in her throat all the while.

Uncle had told her that when Zuko had attempted to channel the lightning, it had gotten too close to his heart. The young water bender had done all that she could, but she simply was skilled enough in her healing to repair damage of such magnitude.

She swallowed hard and ran the cool cloth over closed eyelids, a straight nose and aristocratic lips. Just yesterday she had been furious with him for kissing her in public. _It's my fault that he's like this. If I would have paid more attention I could have gotten out of the way…if I had saved some of the water from the spirit oasis…if I…_

Katara was pulled from her thoughts when a warm, calloused hand rested on her shoulder in comfort. She sat still under his gaze, bathing Zuko's jaw line and neck before dipping the cloth back into the water again to cool it. He was so still…so pale… Katara's bottom lip quivered, and she bit it hard to stop her trembling. "Uncle," she whispered softly, and the old man made a comforting noise in the back of his throat as he drew Katara into his arms.

"Any better?" Iroh asked, gently stroking the girl's hair. His heart sank when he felt her head shake in the negative against his ample chest and her fists ball tighter about his tunic. "Don't worry, little one. My nephew will be fine," Iroh said, unsure as to whether he was comforting the girl or himself.

Katara pulled away hastily, quickly drying her tears on her sleeve. "Sorry," she mumbled before turning back to her patient.

"No need," Iroh replied softly, his voice kind and gentle as always. "Sleep. I will watch over my nephew," he added, pulling Katara off of her knees and shoving her in the direction of her bunk. Katara shook her head and knelt back down beside the boy, lifting the cloth back out of the small bowl and pressing it against his fevered chest.

"I can't leave him," she whispered in response to Iroh's urgings, and the man rubbed her shoulders. "If he…if I'm asleep and…" she shook her head, unable to pursue that particular train of thought. "I'll rest when he gets better," Katara finally concluded, and Iroh heaved out a sigh.

"You are an excellent healer, Little Swallow," Iroh murmured fondly, taking a seat beside the water bender on the ground.

Katara closed her eyes. _No. I'm not. If I was, he would be healed. He would be sitting up and laughing with me, holding me when I'm scared… If I had only stayed with Yagoda longer…If only I…_ Katara shook her head to block the flow of thoughts as she continued to dab the cool cloth down the length of Zuko's body. She had healed all of the outward burns and lacerations, so he looked perfect as he lay before her. If only the inside matched.

"Katara?" Sokka said hesitantly, but the girl didn't even glance his way. "I brought you some soup." This time Katara glanced up and saw her brother balancing two trays as he leaned against the door to her cabin.

"I'm not hungry," she replied, and turned back to Zuko. If he would only cry out… make some motion to let her know that he was alive, his condition would be easier to bear. As it was, he teetered on the brink of death, and Katara had no idea as to what he was feeling or thinking… if he could even think any more.

"You need to eat," her brother insisted, walking towards her and awkwardly placing one of the trays on the ground. He frowned when he saw the puffy redness of her eyes and the dark circles that spread below the spheres. "He wouldn't want you to run yourself into the ground," Sokka added, shoving the tray towards her.

Katara glanced down at it, but felt queasy at the smell. "He'd do the same for me," she replied stubbornly, turning away from her brother and back to the incapacitated Fire Bender once again.

"And Uncle would force him to rest," Sokka argued. His sister's expression didn't change as she continued to bathe the boy's body with cold water.

"Your brother is right," Iroh attempted to persuade the girl, and she tilted her chin upwards slightly in defiance.

"If it were me instead of him, you wouldn't leave my side," Katara pointed out, sparing Sokka the briefest of glances. "And we both know that you're not going anywhere," she added in Iroh's direction. The old man smiled in pride at the devotion the girl showed to his nephew.

"Point well taken."

Sokka sighed harshly and ran a hand through mussed hair. "Katara…" he began, but forcibly stopped himself. "How's he doing?" he asked instead kneeling beside his sister and peering over at the pale, drawn boy.

Katara was silent for some time as she rubbed the cloth over Zuko's collar bone, tracing the dips and valleys of his form without the curiosity that she had thought she would. Her brother sat beside her patiently, understanding the silence for what it was- a time to gather her thoughts and steel herself for whatever admission needed to be made.

"I don't know."

---------------

Azula clutched the missive tightly in her fisted palm, her lips drawn into a thin line. She had been wrong. Zuko had been under suspicion after all, but had managed to scribble out a quick note to her just before she attacked him. Azula didn't bother to look down at the letter again. It had arrived, but a day too late.

"What is that?" a voice came from behind her, and Azula turned to face Ty Lee. The young acrobat's hands, torn and bloody from gripping fractured iron, had been swathed in bandages. Azula had never squeamish at the sight of blood, but the sight of her friend's face as she had held her ruined hands close to her body had been enough to make Azula pale and nauseous. Her miscalculations had led to the devastation of her ship, her friend's injury, as well as Mai's anger.

Azula was unaccustomed to guilt, and she was now learning to hate the emotion. "Nothing," she replied in response to Ty Lee's question, and felt a twinge of guilt once again when she saw the girl's face fall at Azula's quick dismissal. Father would be livid if he knew what had occurred, Azula knew. Her hasty judgment would have resulted in the death of someone or the incineration of something dear. The guilt she felt after the matter would have been rewarded by a sound beating.

Azula shuddered slightly and looked over to where servants and soldiers were hauling out personal belongings from the destroyed ship and loading them into a new one. It was not a month ago that her brother had rode with her on that ruined ship and her plans had been carefully formulated. Then, like now, Zuko was the reason that the intricate plots had fallen apart at the seams.

Zuko may be dead. The thought had first made itself apparent when she had seen the boy fall and witnessed the fury of a waterbender. She may have killed her brother. Fratricide was punishable by death in the Fire Nation in the lower ranks, but in the royal family, such tragedy was anticipated. Azula took a deep breath, her chest expanding slowly and painfully against yet another foreign emotion that filled her breast. Grief.

Azula had never thought that she would grieve the demise of her older brother. The boy was a bumbling idiot, over emotional, untalented, and unintelligent. He stole her mother's love and incited her father's hatred. He was worthless, an exile from both his country and his family. She had no reason to grieve such a worthless excuse for a fire bender.

Yet she did. They had been born of the same womb, raised by the same woman, and shared the same blood. She may have hated him in later years, but Azula remembered a time when they had been inseparable. Those acts alone should have made it acceptable to mourn his death. Azula knew her father would have thought otherwise.

Azula quickly pushed thoughts of her brother out of her mind. After all, he may not even be dead yet. He may still live somewhere out of her reach… That would have to be remedied.

"What do we do now?" Ty Lee asked, her voice high and warbling like a little bird.

_What now indeed? _Azula was the girl's leader and was expected to make every decision. The ones she made were those that benefited herself, and her friends were always placed at the furthest corner of her mind. They were expendable, or so her father had taught her.

"We find Zuko," Azula said, and then she allowed the faintest smirk to make itself known on her face. "…after we do something for ourselves." _Take that, Ozai._

Ty Lee stared at her, wide eyed, and even Mai turned to face the princess in shock.

"What do you think would benefit us, Mai?" the princess asked, and Mai had to struggle to keep her composure. Azula, too prideful to use actual words, was apologizing in the only way that she knew how. Startled by the sudden change that had come over her friend, Mai could only stare.

Then, the pale girl smiled.

-------------------------

_A lone woman walked slowly through the arched halls, the vivid red of her robe trailing down into mist. The fog swirled around her calves with every step that she took, and the candles grew dimmer. Zuko frowned darkly, clad in the guise of the blue spirit, Dao swords gripped securely in each hand. _

_He followed the strange woman with the hair of black and the robes of red through the halls, always staying far behind her so as not to alert her to his presence. He knew this strange, somber figure…knew her as surely as he knew that the sun would rise. _

_She turned out into sunlight, the fog and the hall suddenly left far behind her. Zuko followed, but the sun shone down hard and oppressive on him, making sweat roll down his forehead beneath the blue mask and his body grow slick beneath black clothes. Zuko quickly removed the mask and rolled up his sleeves as he continued to follow the woman. _

_She made her way through a field of flowers to the sewers, her vibrant red robe becoming caked with filth. He followed her to the docks, where the water stank of filth and the air of fishermen. She stepped into a creaky old boat, filled with those of poorer stations than her own. Zuko halted there, unwilling to travel with her to a place he had not seen and did not know. _

_She turned to face him then, and Zuko realized that she knew he had been following her the entire time. She held a candle up to her face, and Zuko gasped when he saw the familiar features. The woman was his mother. Suddenly reduced to a small child, Zuko ran forwards, his arms outstretched. _

"_Mama!" he cried, leaping off the dock and towards the boat. But it was too late. The boat had already set sail, and Zuko crashed through the air and landed in slimy, dark water. "Mama!" he shouted again, thrashing in the water but unable to reach the woman he loved. _

_Then her face came again, peering over the rail of the ship, a dark cloud of hair obscuring her features. "All that I have done I have done for you… Never forget who you are…"_

_Her words melted with the wind that had suddenly begun to roar. Zuko cried out for his mother again, but the water beneath him began to suck at his body. He resisted, his arms thrashing as he struggled to keep his head above the water. The he was pulled downwards into a spiral of hate and lies and confusion that he couldn't escape, the water rushing in his ears and his voice unable to penetrate his surroundings. _

_When it all ended, he lay flat on his back, no longer remembering his name or the woman whom he had called mother. His surroundings were dark, but the gentle blue light of crystals penetrated the blackness of the cave. He was suddenly calm and contented, something warm in his arms. _

_He rolled over ever so slightly and glanced at the woman beside him. Pale of skin and dark of hair, she slept soundly against his chest in this cave of secrets. He shifted slightly again, and the woman woke. She opened bleary green eyes and gave him the softest of smiles. He leaned in and kissed her gently…_

_The kiss deepened and she pulled away, green eyes melting into blue and pale skin into dark. Once again, he was Zuko of the fire nation and the unknown man he had been before was gone. He touched Katara's face gently, and saw her eyes swim with tears. "I can't," she whispered, and her form fell into darkness. _

_Zuko was left alone, blackness surrounding him from all sides. With no one left to turn to, he allowed himself to be overcome. _

Silent suffering had melted into fevered agony over the past three days, but Katara was glad for the change. Zuko had looked dead before, and she had constantly had to place her hand over his heart to be certain that he was alive. The pain that filled his face with every waking moment reminded her that he could feel; that he wasn't so close to death's door as he had been before.

The boy called out for his mother again, and Katara rested her hand on the exiled prince's cheek. Her touch calmed him enough for the pain to slip from his features for one blessed moment. Then the moment passed and his face contorted again as he writhed about on the small cot.

Katara sighed harshly as she gripped the boy's stiff hand between her own. A tear slipped down her drawn face and she pulled her lip between her teeth. She hadn't slept much at all, despite her promise to her brother that she would rest when Zuko got better. In Zuko's few calm times, she had nodded off in her chair beside the bed, her head occasionally falling onto Iroh's shoulder. Then, the boy would begin to toss and turn again and she would resume her vigil.

What she hated most about the whole matter was that she could do absolutely nothing. Katara was the fixing and motherly type: when something went wrong, she was the one who manipulated events to bring everything back to normal. But no matter how hard she gripped Zuko's hand, no matter how many times she pleaded with the Spirits to end his pain, the boy remained ill.

She felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder and she leaned into the man's touch, struggling to keep the tears from falling. She was tired…so tired. But she couldn't sleep so long as Zuko was suffering. She needed to be there beside him, needed him to know how much she cared.

_Is this what love feels like?_ She wondered to herself, gently running her thumb over Zuko's hand in an effort to calm him. _Is love forsaking what you want? Giving yourself fully to someone else? Caring for their welfare over your own?_ Katara let out another sigh when she felt Iroh gently rub her shoulders.

Such thoughts were absurd, Katara told herself. She hadn't known him long enough to be in love with him…hadn't thought of him in the romantic sense enough for her feelings to be more than a crush. She was reminded of Jet, of how easily that infatuation had started and ended. Her feelings for Zuko had grown slowly, and had crept up on her most unexpectedly. _He's family. _She reminded herself firmly. _Of course I care about him. If Sokka was the one who had been hurt, I would be doing exactly the same thing. _

Quickly, she pushed all thoughts of her feelings for the boy aside and resumed stroking his hand with slow, soothing motions. Zuko called out for his mother again as he continued to writhe upon the bed, and Katara sighed harshly. "The Lady Ursa must have meant a lot to him," Katara observed softly with her head still against Iroh's shoulder.

"She was his entire world," Iroh replied as he reached out and gently touched a lock of his nephew's black hair. "And he was hers…" he added softly, his voice tinged with a combination of sorrow and regret.

"What was she like?" Katara asked, and Iroh smiled softly despite the pain that he was in over his nephew's situation.

"Beautiful," Iroh said after some time, and then touched his nephew's forehead. "Zuko favors her," he added, and Katara smiled faintly as she looked over the boy's features. "She was quite the she-devil when she was younger… flirting with everyone, playing pranks on my brother and I…" Iroh chuckled softly to himself in remembrance of days long past. "But she was kind and gentle, even then," he added.

"In later years, she was quieter…more somber. She loved her children unconditionally, and she would glow whenever she spoke of them." Iroh paused. "My nephew is a lot like her, once you can get past the wall he's built around himself."

Katara smiled faintly in response. "That he is," she agreed so softly that Iroh could barely hear her. He did, however, and the caring in her tone made him both smile and frown. His nephew's cries increased in intensity, and his face contorted further in pain.

Iroh watched with a strange mix of emotions as Katara pulled away from him and leaned over his nephew, gently smoothing the hair away from his damp forehead. She murmured sweet nothings to his nephew as she continued to smooth her fingers over his forehead as a mother might.

"Mom?" Zuko whimpered, and Katara closed her eyes briefly at the pathetic sound.

"No, Zuko. It's Katara," the girl said softly, and her breath caught in her throat when his eyes slowly opened. They were clouded, but his gaze locked with hers for the briefest of moments.

"Don't leave me," he pleaded, his voice in a small whimper as he lifted an arm up towards her face. Katara quickly caught the flailing hand between her own and leaned closer over him.

"Never," she promised solemnly, and Zuko sank back, the slightest of smiles on his face. She brought his hand to rest on her cheek, and he sighed softly at the contact. Then, his eyes became dilated once more and a shudder passed through him.

"I love you," he whispered throatily, the hand still on the bed clenching the sheets as he descended back into another spasm of pain.

Katara froze, her eyes wide and face gone pale as she stared down at the fevered boy before her. She swallowed hard, and gently lowered the hand at her face back to his side. Katara blinked several times before she could regain her composure, and when she did she gently kissed Zuko's forehead. "Sleep," she whispered softly, her heart in her throat.

The spasms of his body then eased, and his breathing became deep and even. Katara drew away, her mind whirling. "I need to go for a walk," she said vaguely, and Iroh looked after her in concern. She did not notice the old man's look as she stumbled out the door. All that she was aware of was the heavy beating of her heart.

Katara hurried up to the deck of the ship, and then gripped the rail so hard that her knuckles turned white. He loved her. _Loved_ her. So long as those words had remained unspoken, it had been easy to overlook that particular part of their relationship. They had been friends, and although both had known that the other had felt something, they had never spoken about their feelings. It was an unspoken agreement that telling each other would just make their situation far too complicated.

And then Zuko, in his delirium, had gone and ruined everything. Katara took a deep breath and forced her grip on the railing to relax. "Katara?" Iroh's voice startled the girl, but she made no outward sign that it did so. The man came to stand behind her, and gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Have I ever told you about the swallow?" he asked. The oddity of the question made Katara turn to face him with a deep frown. Iroh chuckled softly at her expression and chucked her chin. "The swallow is a beautiful creature; graceful and elegant. Farmers love them, for they always eat the insects, never the grain. They are the farmer's companions in the harvest months.

"The swallow is a family oriented creature. When it mates, it mates for life." He paused, and watched Katara's brow furrow even deeper. "The swallow protects its family first and foremost. Now in the winter months, the male swallow reveals his selfishness. He takes off and cares for himself when it becomes too cold to fend off invaders and the frost makes it difficult to find food."

The old man paused again, and found Katara's face scrunched up in thought. "Now the she-swallow… She is a different creature all together. When it becomes so bitterly cold outside that the frost settles over her wings, she continues to fly. When the ground is covered in ice, she continues to struggle to find food for her family. No matter how she feels, no matter how much she may wish to give up and fly off like the male swallow, she never does. Although he heart may be torn and her wings may be tired, she continues to fight for her family."

Katara shook her head slightly and the end of Iroh's little tale, her lips curved into a humorless smile. "And if she has to choose between the swallow she wishes to mate and her family?" she asked softly, and Iroh squeezed her shoulder.

"The little swallow will always put her family's happiness before her own."

Katara heaved out a shuddering sigh, and then nodded. "She must be heartsick," she added in a near whisper, and Iroh smiled at the girl with compassion in his eyes before drawing her in for a hug.

"She must be," he agreed, continuing to hold the girl close against his chest. He heard her let out a shuddering sigh, and then Katara drew herself away from the aging man.

"Why aren't you taking Zuko's part in this?" she asked abruptly, facing the stars rather than the boy's uncle. "I thought you wanted him to be happy."

Iroh was silent for a time, and when he spoke his voice was heavy. "I do. And I'll admit that I haven't seen my nephew quite so happy as when he is with you. "But Katara… if you ever developed a relationship with Zuko, it wouldn't end well."

"But maybe if…"

"Katara," Iroh interrupted sternly, and the girl fell silent. Iroh mulled over his next words and chose them with care. "The people of the Fire Nation could never accept you as their Lady. So how else could you and my nephew pursue your relationship?" Iroh paused, and then swallowed hard. "The only option would for you to be his concubine."

Katara visibly flinched and then paled.

"Could you bear to love him from behind the harem walls while his wife receives all of his attention publicly?" Iroh continued, gently resting large, meaty hands on the girl's slender shoulders. "Could you turn your back on your people to love my nephew, Little Swallow?"

"No," Katara whispered hoarsely, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over. "Why does it have to be so hard?" she asked softly, her voice barely higher than a whisper. "Why can't we just do what we want?" she demanded, and Iroh squeezed her shoulders in comfort.

"You have the fate of the world resting on your shoulders, Katara. If you choose to be selfish, the world will crumble around you. You must be strong."

Katara frowned, and then a tear trickled down her cheek. "Like the swallow," she whispered and Iroh cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead as a beloved grandfather might.

"Like the swallow."

* * *

**A/N: **This may be my last update until the weekend...school starts back up for me tomorrow, and as of that point my life will be over until the summer. (When work, kids, and art school then decide to take over)

I've had that last moment planned ever since chapter 13 or so, and I am extremely releived to have FINALLY placed it in writing. I want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter and promised me that my fighting scenes really aren't quite so horrible as I thought. It encouraged me greatly. And thank you to everyone who has reviewed my chapter before. I'd name you personally, but I'm afraid that I'd leave somebody out.

**REVIEW PLEASE! **And thanks for reading.

Sandra


	23. A New Friend

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Watermistress who posted a fanart of last chapter up on deviantart. It encouraged me more than I can say.

* * *

Katara walked along the deck of the _Flame Treader_, her arms wrapped tightly about her exposed middle. The outfit that Iroh had purchased for her in the Fire Nation port town was too revealing for her tastes and the breeze that fluttered against her naked stomach made her shudder even in the heat of the near summer. 

Zuko was sleeping soundly in their cabin, and for the first time during the course of the boy's illness Katara was at a loss. At least when he had needed constant care, Katara had been able to distract herself. Now…now she thought far too much than was sane or healthy.

The conversation that she'd had with Iroh several days prior played itself over and over in her head no matter how hard she tried to block it out. She attempted to remind herself that she was still a child; not yet old enough to marry and not yet wise enough to fall in love. But then she was reminded of the fact that she had seen and done many things that even the elders of her tribe had to do. In all the ways that mattered, she truly was an adult.

_Is a happy ending too much to ask for? _She wondered to herself as she strolled along, chewing on her lower lip in thought. The girl then heaved out a sigh and made her way to the railing, still deep in thought. _Maybe there aren't such things as fairy tales. Maybe those stories are just a product of what people wish their lives could be…_

Katara rested her elbows on the rail and held her head in her hands as she stared out at the sea. The water churned about the iron boat as though it despised the machine's intrusion on its tranquility, much as the rest of the world despised the Fire Nation for disrupting the peace.

But Katara no longer saw the nation as the epitome of evil. Zuko had invaded her mind and her heart, casting doubt on all that she had previously accepted as truth. He was Fire Nation, and yet he loved and felt and breathed like any other person would. He had feelings and motivation that ran deeper than conquering the world, and he was the Prince of the said nation.

In a matter of a few short months, Zuko had turned Katara's perception of the world upside down and inside out, much as the ship churned the waters that it sailed upon. She had glimpsed into the soul of the enemy and what she had seen was beautiful.

Katara's brow furrowed as she heaved out another sigh, the two bound sections of her hair blowing in the wind. _Why do I even bother? _She wondered, drawing her lower lip between her teeth again. No matter how long she thought on Zuko or his nation, nothing would ever change. _Ever. Give it up, Katara. _

Her mind cried out for her to let go of Zuko before her feelings completely overwhelmed her. She was a swallow; she must fulfill her duty. However, her heart gripped the boy tighter to her, and Katara found that she didn't have the strength to deny it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?." The voice that came from behind her startled Katara enough to make her lose her grip on her brooding thoughts.

The woman who had spoken was pale and tall, her black hair drawn back severely and accentuating the angular planes of her face. A baby was cradled in her arms, and Katara smiled when the little one opened its mouth to let out a tiny yawn.

"Very," Katara replied in response, glancing back to the vast expanse of water. The woman moved up beside her, shifting the baby so that its little body was pressed against her chest rather than resting in the crook of her arm.

"It makes you feel small, doesn't it?" the woman asked, and Katara smiled and nodded. "My name is Sora," the woman introduced herself after another moment.

"Kaya. It's nice to meet you," Katara replied, and Sora smiled slightly, bouncing swaying back and forth as she gently rocked the baby in her arms. "She's adorable," Katara said, gesturing towards the chubby baby.

"Thank you."

Katara stifled a sigh as she looked back to the horizon. Thoughts of Zuko were suffocating, and she desperately needed a distraction. She knew that forming a relationship with anyone outside of her immediate group was most likely dangerous, but Sora had offered her company, and that was something that Katara was sorely in need of.

"Are you traveling with your husband?" Katara asked, turning away from the ocean and to the woman standing beside her.

There was a brief pause, and the dark haired woman turned to meet Katara's eyes. "I'm not married." Her chin lifted a fraction, as though she dared Katara to judge her. Instead of rebuking her as the customs of her tribe demanded, Katara grinned.

"Who needs men anyway?" she asked with a slight smile, knowing all the while that her father would be scandalized at her flippant response. Women of the water tribe were supposed to be pure and chaste creatures, yet Katara felt her background slowly slipping away from her. _Do customs even matter at all? _She wondered to herself.

Sora grinned in response, and the action made Katara realize that the woman was much younger than she had previously thought. "Are you married?"

Katara paused, about to say 'no' before correcting herself. "Yes," she replied. "He's a good man," she felt compelled to add and Sora nodded.

"They usually seem to be…" the Sora murmured and Katara bristled. "No offence meant, of course," the woman hastened to correct herself and Katara shrugged.

"None taken."

There was silence for several moments, and Katara felt herself drawn back into thought. Sora cleared her throat, however, breaking the quiet and drawing Katara back to the present. "You are of the Water Tribe, are you not?" Sora asked and Katara nodded briefly. "What brings you so far from home?"

"I married for love," Katara replied wistfully and Sora's brows knit. "My husband is Fire Nation," Katara clarified, and Sora chuckled humorlessly.

"Families don't take kindly to the enemy," Sora agreed, her voice slightly bitter and her gaze drawn down to her child. The little girl blinked her wide eyes and then her face scrunched up as she sneezed.

"Her father wasn't Fire Nation," Katara observed and Sora nodded.

"Earth Kingdom. We ran away together but…suffice to say that the situation didn't work out," Sora explained and Katara nodded.

"You're going home?"

"If my parents will have me."

Katara nodded. Iroh had told her once that customs were very different in the Fire Nation than in the Water Tribe. Apparently, a woman's virtue was rarely intact when she married and single mothers were hardly cast out of their families. In fact, such a situation had become rather common in recent times, or so she had been told. However, Sora's daughter was sired by a man of the Earth Kingdom, and it was highly unlikely that her parents would approve of or accept her.

"What's her name?" Katara asked, quickly and effectively changing the subject.

"Nozomi," the woman replied with a slight smile, bouncing the little girl and making the baby let out a gurgle of laughter.

"That's a big name for such a little girl," Katara replied lightly, a soft smile blossoming onto her face as she watched the antics of the baby.

Sora grinned in response. "Isn't it?" she paused, and then turned to Katara. "Has your husband spoken much of Fire Nation customs?" she asked and Katara shook her head.

"We haven't been married for very long…barely even a few weeks," Katara explained, and Sora nodded her head in understanding.

"Fire Nation customs dictate that a child's name is what sets them on their paths in life. The meaning must be special and unique to the circumstances in which the child is born. Nozomi means 'hope for the future.' It's a bit big for now, but she'll grow into it."

Katara frowned slightly, absently wondering what Zuko's name meant. Instead of musing further, she decided to share some of her own customs. "Children's names are important in the water tribe too," Katara admitted, giving the woman beside her a small smile. "It is said that the dead may live on through the living if a child bears their name. It is also believed that the wisdom of the namesake is passed down to the child."

"Interesting," Sora murmured, looking down, before turning back to Katara. "Who were you named for?" she asked.

"My father's mother. She died the moment that my mother's labor pains came on," she explained and Sora's brows raised a notch.

"Is that a fact?" she asked, although Katara had the feeling that the question was more rhetorical than anything else. "Do you believe that you are the reincarnation of your grandmother?"

Katara shrugged. "I prefer to believe that I'm my own person."

Sora smiled. "As do I."

---------------------

Azula sat at the edge of the docks, the breeze from the ocean at once heavy and revitalizing. Her legs dangled of the edge and she wiggled her bare toes, feeling like more of a child than she had in quite some time. When was the last time that she had taken a moment to herself? The last time that she had allowed thoughts of war and schemes and death to flee her troubled mind?

With her armor gone and her hair a black cloud about her shoulders, Azula felt like more like a little girl than a woman capable of murdering her own brother in cold blood. Azula shuddered, suddenly uncomfortable with the thoughts of what she had become.

She thought briefly on how life had been before she had been old enough to seriously train, and unbidden, a lullaby came to her mind. A lifetime ago, her mother had cradled her in her arms and sung it to her, the woman's soft, rich voice making the very air around her pulse and throb with feelings of love and comfort.

In her moment of vulnerability, Azula began to hum off key, scarcely remembering the words but the melody filling her heart. When she had been young, she remembered, the women of the court had insisted she take lessons from the greatest vocalists in the Fire Nation. 'Surely the daughter of Lady Ursa would possess a most beautiful voice!' they had exclaimed.

It had taken three vocal instructors, a Sungi horn, a singed robe, and several damaged ear drums for the court to realize that the charmed Princess Azula was positively tone deaf. The defeat had been utterly unbearable for her, but her pride stung more than anything else. And then her father had come, saying that she was more of a warrior than a woman after all.

"Azula?" came a cautious voice from behind her, and the princess stopped humming mid-tune, shame and humiliation filling her that someone should hear the racket she must have been making.

"What?" she snapped venomously, tucking her hair up into a topknot with swift, motions and stabbed the pins she had removed from the black mass back into it angrily.

"A letter came for you."

Azula turned around, a scowl on her face. When she saw it was Ty Lee who held the letter between still bandaged but healing hands, Azula felt her anger and irritation soften. She nodded once to her friend and took the letter from the girl's outstretched hands.

_A,_

_We're leaving from Kyoshi island just now. I've been under close watch, so I couldn't send this until tonight. Uncle is suspicious of me and has been watching my every move as of late, so I don't know how long it will be until we can send the next one out. _

_We'll be working at a Tea shop in the capitol, but I'm not sure exactly where it is as of yet. _

_-Z. _

Azula went white, and then she scanned the letter quickly again. Zuko hadn't betrayed her after all. The little bastard had actually followed through for once in his life, and she had made a fool of herself by her rash judgment! Azula went red with anger and she crushed the paper between her palms, careful to keep her expression neutral.

Already she could hear the crack of her father's whip as he beat one of her friends for her miscalculations. She could see his eyes, cold and merciless, as he berated her for her mistake. She had let her emotions rule her once again, and in doing so she had disgraced his name.

"Azula?" Ty Lee questioned, her wide eyes going wider and her smile slipping off of her face.

Azula said nothing; she merely put on her shoes and walked away, leaving the ocean and the tender memories that it had brought far behind her.

-------------------------------

_Panic settled over him as his brow furrowed and sweat dripped into his eyes. He couldn't die, not now. Not when _she_ was waiting for him. They had made plans together…plans of peace and love and family. They had spoken of a little boy with her smile and his laugh, they had promised 'forever.' _

_He looked down and observed the arrow in his chest with a detached sort of calm. He couldn't be dying, not after all they had been through to try and achieve peace. The roar of the battle faded away and he was left in his own little world as he fell to his knees. His fallen comrades were on every side of him, but he couldn't see them. _

_Instead he saw a pair of large green eyes that held the promise of an ageless love. He felt the strands of her long, dark hair surrounding him, could taste the sweetness of her kisses as they were bathed in the blue light of the crystals above them. _

_He lost his balance and his body thumped against the blood soaked earth. He could have commanded the rocks beneath his fingers if he wanted to, but he couldn't bear to kill her kinsmen in an unmatched fight. He was an honorable man, after all, and it was in honor that had killed him in the end. _

_He touched the arrow that had embedded itself in his flesh and cried out at the pain before allowing his blood stained hand to fall back to his side. He took several deep breaths and felt the air rattle in his chest. Slowly, with a grimace of pain, he bent the earth around him into several characters. _

_He wouldn't see her face again, and would never know the feel of her skin against his own, but he could and would let her know how he felt this one last time. _

_Spent, he dropped his hands over the words they had formed in the earth: 'I love you.'_

_He heard his uncle, Tasku, call his name, and he summoned the last of his strength. They needed to know… they all needed to know…_

Iroh dabbed at his nephew's forehead again as the boy moaned in pain and clutched at a phantom wound on his chest. "Must…tell her…" the boy murmured, and Iroh frowned.

"Nephew, Katara isn't here right now," Iroh attempted to console the boy. "You can tell her later."

"Who's…Katara?"

Iroh dropped the cloth he had been holding and his eyes went wide. "Nephew!"

"Tasku," Zuko whispered, his eyes vacant as he suddenly reached up and gripped Iroh's shirt. "End war…Isn't worth it…Tell her…tell her…I…"

"Zuko!" Iroh exclaimed harshly, giving his nephew a slight shake of the shoulders. The vacant look disappeared from his nephew's eyes and Zuko suddenly slumped back down onto his pillows. When the boy's breathing evened out again and the hand he had been clutching his chest with fell back to his side, Iroh let out a sigh of relief.

The aging man leaned back in his chair and mopped at his sweating brow. What had come over the boy as of late? In his sickness, Zuko had been calling out names that Iroh had never heard before and seemed to be caught in memories that were not his own.

_The work of the Spirits, perhaps?_ Iroh wondered, but then quickly dismissed that notion from his mind. No, had it been spirits who had come over his nephew, he would have sensed their presence. Whatever was occurring within Zuko was coming from his own mind and his own experiences… _But who are these people he calls for?_

"Uncle?" Katara's voice came from his side and Iroh turned to see the girl standing in the doorway. "How's he doing?" she asked softly before walking forwards and resting a palm on Zuko's brow.

"The fever's back," Iroh replied, and winced when he saw the girl's face fall.

"Has he been having those nightmares again?" Katara asked, and Iroh nodded. Katara sighed, turning her hand over and tenderly brushing her knuckles against Zuko's forehead. "He's very warm," she observed softly, reaching for the cloth that Iroh had dropped and pressed it against the boy's forehead again.

Iroh gently rested his hand on Katara's shoulder and smiled softly. "He's come this far, little swallow. He'll pull through," he assured the girl, and he felt her sigh.

"Get some sleep, Uncle. I'll take care of him." She looked over her shoulder to give Iroh a faint smile before dipping the cloth back in the cool water and returning to bathing Zuko's fevered body with it again.

"Are you sure?"

Katara smiled again at the concern in the old man's voice. "You need the rest more than I do," she replied warmly, and Iroh chuckled before patting her shoulder.

When all was still once again and Iroh's snores filled the small cabin, Katara placed the cloth back into the bowl and set it aside. "Zuko," she whispered, gently tracing the boy's features with her fingertips. She paused when she came to his lips, and her hands trembled.

Slowly, she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the unconscious boy's lips, her eyes brimming with tears.

Quietly, she climbed up into the bed and curled up against his side, resting her forehead in the crook of his neck. The warmth of his skin against hers made her shudder, and a tear trickled down her cheek.

Iroh's words played over and over in her mind as she pressed herself closer against the boy, and she willed for them to leave her head if only for a moment. _A swallow must be strong…must put her family before her love…_ Katara swallowed hard and allowed the tears to continue to flow. _What if I don't want to be the swallow? What if I just want to be me? _

"La forgive me, Zuko," Katara whispered harshly against the sleeping boy's flesh. "I love you too."

* * *

**A/N: **I am SO INCREDIBLY SORRY for the delay. School is much harder and much more time consuming than I'd ever expected it to be, and so (Unfortunately) I won't be able to make my original deadline of September 21. Don't worry though...I'm not giving this fic up. Promise. I have the rest of this pretty much plotted out and most of the sequel too, but the problem is finding time in which to write.

Once again, I'm sorry about the delay, and I promise you that you'll get a lot out of me on my next break.

Thanks again to everybody who has stayed with me this far, and again, **PLEASE review!**


	24. Secrets Revealed

"Kaya seems to be handling Lee's illness well, considering," Suki observed as she absently ran her hands through Sokka's unbound hair.

"Considering what?" Sokka murmured, his eyes closed and his head resting in the Kyoshi warrior's lap. A light slap against his forehead made his eyes jerk open and caused him to let out an indignant yelp.

"You're such an idiot sometimes," Suki muttered, and Sokka scowled. "Considering how much she cares for him," the girl clarified and Sokka's brow furrowed.

"Not more than the rest of us do," Sokka replied, pushing himself up into a sitting position and looking over to where his sister strolled arm in arm with a woman she had recently met.

Suki rolled her eyes and pushed Sokka away from her. "Men," she said in disgust and Sokka frowned.

Then, the boy looked back over to his sister and narrowed his eyes. "But she has been looking a little pale lately…" he observed. "And thinner. Has she been eating?"

The concern that she heard in Sokka's voice warmed Suki's heart, and she decided to forgive him his stupidity for the moment. "I've been taking care of her, don't you worry," Suki assured him, resting her hand on Sokka's back. "She's just worried, is all. And tired."

"Doesn't she sleep?" Sokka questioned, the line between his brows furrowing deeper. He glanced over to his sister again and noticed that her smile seemed forced as she spoke and that quite often she would stare off into the distance. _I'm going to have to have a talk with Iroh. _

Suki bit her lip, remembering walking into Katara's cabin the morning before and seeing the girl clutching Zuko tightly, tears flowing down her face even in sleep. She let out a breath and then closed her eyes. "Imagine if it was me that was lying there instead of him. How would you sleep?" she asked pointedly.

Abruptly, Sokka whirled around to face Suki. "But she doesn't feel for him _that_ way…does she?" When Suki didn't answer, Sokka felt a bubble of panic rise in his chest. "But…but she can't! I mean, after the war... No one would ever accept them. They'd be outcasts everywhere they go!"

"I know that," Suki said, gripping Sokka's shoulder and pulling him back against her. "And so does she." She paused, and then gripped Sokka's ear tightly between her fingers. "Now don't you say a word to your sister about any of this," she threatened, giving his ear a light tug.

"But it's my responsibility to…" Sokka protested, grimacing in the hold that Suki had on him.

"To support her in whatever she decides to do," Suki finished for him, tugging on Sokka's ear for emphasis. "Whether you approve or not," she added on an afterthought and Sokka scowled.

"But Suki…"

"No buts. Now I want you to give me your word as a warrior that you aren't going to get on your sister's case."

"But…"

"No buts!" Suki exclaimed again with a roll of her eyes as she tugged harder on Sokka's ear. "Now promise," she ordered.

"Alright, alright! I'll leave her alone!" Sokka exclaimed, and covered his injured ear with a scowl when Suki finally released her grasp. "But if she ever comes to talk to me about it, I'm telling her the absolute truth. No sugarcoating anything, got it?"

"I wouldn't expect anything else."

Sokka frowned and looked back to where Katara walked beside a Fire Nation woman…an _unwed_ Fire Nation woman with a child. Only several weeks ago, Sokka would have dragged his sister away from such a woman by the hair. Now…now things were different. He couldn't explain how or why their situation had changed, but the fact remained that it had. It unnerved him to no end.

"She'd better be careful," Sokka murmured under his breath, his eyes never leaving his little sister's form. A sudden kiss on his cheek caused Sokka's concentration to be broken and he turned around to find Suki's arms around his neck and her head resting on his shoulder.

At that moment, Sokka looked away from Katara and gently smoothed short strands of Suki's hair off of her forehead. "I love you," he murmured, pressing his lips to the girl's forehead, his sister forgotten for the time being.

-------------

"What are you going to do when you get home?" Katara asked, and Sora smiled slightly.

"I'll go home to my family," she replied wistfully, and looked down at her daughter. " I'll help my mother tend to her garden like I used to when I was a little girl, and I'll help my little sister with her calligraphy…" the woman trailed off, a faraway look in her eyes as she both thought to her future and remembered her past.

Katara bit her lip, and then shifted slightly. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" she asked, and Sora arched a brow. "What will you do if…if your father doesn't accept you?".

Sora paused, her face and posture suddenly horribly still. "I don't know," she whispered tremulously, clutching her daughter tightly to herself. "I'd never thought… I mean he must…" she paused and shook her head. "My father may be angry with me, but he still loves me. He'd never cast me out on the streets," Sora finished, although her face was pale.

Katara nodded quickly, touching the older woman's arm in a gesture of comfort. "Of course he wouldn't," Katara replied easily, hastening to re-assure her new friend. The woman coughed and shifted Nozomi's weight before forcing a smile.

"Would you like to hold her?" she asked as she gave the baby a slight bounce, purposefully lightening the mood.

"Could I?" Katara exclaimed, a true smile alighting upon her own features. She hadn't held a baby since she'd delivered Hope at the Serpent's Pass, and she had missed the innocence that only children could possess. Sora handed her the little girl, and Katara's grin widened when the baby molded into her arms as though it was where she belonged.

Katara bounced Nozomi lightly in her arms, grinning when the baby gurgled with laughter and lifted tiny, chubby hands to bat at her cheeks.

"You're very good with children," Sora observed, a smile in her voice as she watched her daughter and the water tribe woman together.

Katara's grin widened and she looked away from the baby long enough to speak to the little girl's mother. "I've had a lot of practice," she admitted, and then looked back down to the baby again. "Besides, Nimi's a good girl. I have a feeling she'd bond with just about anybody."

Sora quirked a brow. "Nimi?"

"I told you that Nozomi is too big of a name for her. Nimi suits her better." Katara gently poked the baby's nose. "Doesn't it, sweetie?" she cooed, and Sora laughed. "Well it does," Katara defended herself, glancing back over to the still laughing Sora.

"You, my dear Kaya, are one in a million," Sora replied with a chuckle, and then shook her head. "What are your plans for children?" she then asked, changing the subject.

"What?" Katara asked with a frown, and Sora rolled her eyes in an oddly graceful manner.

"You have been married for some time. Hasn't your husband started pestering you for children yet?"

Katara coughed and then flushed. "N-no," she stammered, suddenly feeling extremely awkward. She and Zuko were having enough problems with their relationship as it was, and he was barely conscious. The thought of having children with him… Katara quickly shook her head. "I mean, we're newlyweds. I don't really think…"

"Funny," Sora mused. "Most men from the Fire Nation attempt to impregnate their wives almost instantly."

Katara flushed deeper and found herself stammering. Sora instantly looked contrite and rested a hand on Katara's arm. "Oh, forgive me Kaya. Sometimes my mouth just runs away with me!" Sora apologized and Katara managed a slight smile.

"It's fine," Katara managed through the cotton like dryness of her throat and she looked back down at the child in her arms. Suddenly, instead of seeing Nozomi she saw a different baby all together- one with Zuko's eyes and her smile. For that one fleeting moment, she pictured that it was Zuko standing beside her and it was their baby in her arms.

Katara swallowed hard and quickly pushed all thoughts of that kind away. They could never be, so what was the use of dreaming? "It's fine," she repeated softly, and Sora placed her hand on Katara's shoulder.

Just then, Nozomi began to whimper in Katara's arms and redirected the women's gaze back to the child. "She's hungry," Sora observed with a cluck of her tongue, drawing the baby back into her arms. With the warm bundle taken from her, Katara suddenly felt very cold and a longing that she refused to name surged through her veins.

"You should probably go feed her," Katara said, glancing between mother and child and feeling her heart grow heavier. "I'll see you later on," she then added, and Sora smiled and managed a brief wave before she went back to tending her baby.

As Katara walked away, she strove to ignore thoughts as to why her arms felt so empty. She was too young for children! Besides, she was fighting in the war. A pregnancy would end her involvement, not to mention what it would do to her relationship with her brother and father…

Katara shook her head furiously, letting out a small growl of frustration. Of all things…

"Hey, you okay, Kaya?" Aang asked, and Katara stilled before turning to face the boy.

"Of course I am," the girl lied easily, forcing a smile to come to her face. The Avatar frowned deeply and cocked his head to the side as though mulling over her statement.

Finally, Aang shrugged and then offered Katara a small smile. "That's good to know. I haven't seen you much lately, and I've been worried about you," the young Avatar admitted, and Katara felt guilt consume her.

"Oh, Aki! I'm so sorry! It's just that with Lee sick, I…"

Aang quickly held up his hands and shook his head. "It's okay!" he exclaimed, although his crooked grin lacked the sparkle and mischief that it usually bore. "I understand," he added, his voice slightly quieter than before and his grin dimming even further.

"No! I should have paid more attention to you! I've been so wrapped up in my own little world that…" Katara's flow of words was cut off abruptly when Aang rested his hands on Katara's shoulders and stared into her eyes.

"I get it," he said softly, his usually bright tone suddenly serious. Katara swallowed hard as she searched the boy's eyes, and what she found there sobered her.

There was a depth of sorrow present in the boy's eyes that didn't belong in one so young. He had lost far too much on his journey…his mentor, his innocence, his…love? Katara read that emotion there, and suddenly all of his words and actions over the past few months began to make sense.

_Katara turned around and frowned. "I thought you already went to see the guru," she said, and Aang flushed slightly beneath her scrutiny. _

"_I did, but…" he paused, and his gaze flickered over to Iroh. "I didn't finish what I had to do. That's why I… I failed in Ba Seng Se."_

_Iroh nodded solemnly, but Katara's frown deepened. "You didn't fail Aang," she said softly, and Aang met her gaze with stormy eyes. "You didn't."_

"_I did. I wouldn't give y… something up that I had to in order to achieve the Avatar State. And you nearly died because of that. All of us nearly did. I'm not going to let that happen again."_

"_Why didn't you give it up?" Katara probed, aware of the pain in the boy's voice but oblivious to its source._

_Aang's eyes never left hers. "Because it was too important to me."_

Recalling that conversation brought an ache to Katara's heart and by the flush that dusted Aang's cheeks, Katara realized that he knew she understood. The weight of the words left unspoken hung heavily between them, and Katara found that she couldn't break free from the boy's gaze.

"Oh, Aang," Katara breathed at last, forgetting their assumed identities for the moment. How must it feel to love and know that you would never be loved in return? Katara reached out to him, but the boy stepped away before her fingers could make contact with his skin.

"Don't worry," the boy said with a grin, and Katara just then realized how forced it was. How many smiles had he faked for her sake? How long had this poor boy had to pretend that all was right with his world in order to be the constant that he was in hers?

"I'm so sorry," Katara whispered, feeling tears gather behind her eyes.

"Don't cry!" Aang exclaimed, his eyes widening. "If anything you made it easier on me. Knowing that I'll never be able to have you is making it easier to give you up, and if I don't do that…"

"You'll never be able to achieve the Avatar state," Katara finished for the boy, and he nodded.

Katara heard Toph call for 'Twinkle Toes' and Aang met her gaze somewhat sheepishly. "So, I'd uh…I'd better go. Tetsu'll kill me if I keep her waiting too long," the young avatar excused himself, and Katara felt her heart constrict in pain for the boy who she'd adopted into her family.

"Hey, Aki!" Katara called out as he walked away, and Aang turned back around to face her. "When all this is over…will you go Penguin Sledding with me?" she asked, and a goofy grin instantly spread across Aang's features.

"I thought that was only for kids!" he replied lightly, his tone easy and bright.

"Don't you know?" Katara replied with a smile. "We _are_ kids!" she exclaimed, even though they had both lost all semblances of their childhood long ago.

-----------------------------

Iroh sat on his berth, watching Zuko's now still form from over the rim of his cup of tea. The boy had murmured Azula's name several times over the course of the night, and the aging man was grateful that Katara hadn't been there to hear.

"_Azula…don't hurt them! You can't…I won't betray them! I…I…"at this point, the boy had paused and writhed about on the berth allotted to him. "I'll do it," he whimpered. _

Iroh closed his eyes, wishing that the frustration and doubt that gnawed at his insides could disappear. However, years of living amongst the intrigue of the Fire Nation nobility had taught him that his nephew's words were not to be taken lightly. _I'll do it,_ the boy had said. What had Zuko meant by those words? Just what had Azula wrangled her brother into doing now?

Iroh thought back to when Zuko had stumbled into camp after his sister had captured him. At first, Iroh had believed that his nephew had escaped. As time passed however, and his nephew drew further and further into himself, Iroh was forced to face the notion that something more sinister had occurred.

After the battle that had nearly taken Zuko's life, Iroh had been able to push such thoughts from his mind. But after Zuko's mutterings he had been forced to confront the idea that some sort of accord had been struck between the two and that something had gone horribly wrong.

Iroh took another sip of his tea, but it didn't calm him nearly as much as it usually did. "What have you done?" he whispered sadly as he stared at his nephew. "Why throw away what you've worked so hard to achieve?"

His nephew whimpered from across the room and Iroh sighed heavily, truly feeling his age. The aging man set aside his tea cup and rose from the berth, aching joints shifting and popping as he moved. "What, by Agni, are you doing?" Iroh murmured as he pressed a meaty hand to his nephew's forehead and was relieved to find that it wasn't quite as warm as it had been earlier.

The door to the cabin scraped open slowly, and Iroh turned to the sound, his hand falling limply to his side. When the gray eyes of the young avatar peered from around the wood, Iroh was able to manage a smile a gesture the boy within. "I haven't seen you very much recently," Iroh observed, forcing his voice to sound hearty although his heart felt hollow.

Aang said nothing, only shuffled his way over the berth that Iroh had been sitting on only moments before. Upon reaching it the boy plopped down, his shoulders hunched and his head bowed.

Iroh frowned at the boy's behavior and quickly shut and locked the cabin door. Then crossed over to the berth and sat beside Aang, pushing his own troubles aside for the moment. "The tea kettle can only boil in silence for so long," he observed when Aang maintained his quiet.

The avatar slid him a sideways glance and managed a crooked smile. "You know the weirdest proverbs," he said, and Iroh chuckled lightly. Aang lapsed into silence once more, and then heaved out a sigh. "She knows. Katara, I mean. About how I feel about her."

"Ah," Iroh replied softly, and Aang shrugged slightly as though to shake off the burden of his feelings.

"I should have expected it. I mean, you can only keep a secret for so long, right?" the boy asked, but Iroh knew that he wasn't expecting an answer. "But I just…I hoped that maybe…" the boy trailed off again and let out a sigh that seemed to completely deflate him.

Iroh laid a hand on the young avatar's shoulder, pushing all thoughts of Zuko from his mind. "I have a story to tell you," he said, and Aang blinked before looking over to Iroh with a puzzled expression.

Iroh paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts and wondering if his was a tale that should be shared with a boy at such an impressionable age. The silence lengthened, and then Iroh cleared his throat, deciding that if anyone should learn from his mistakes, it may as well be the Avatar.

"There were once two princes. The elder helped to raise the younger boy, as they were born eight years apart and their mother died in childbirth. By the time the younger prince had reached his sixteenth year, the boys were the best of friends." Iroh paused again and swallowed, not quite sure how to continue with his story. He formulated the words in his mind, and then spoke slowly.

"Then, on the eve of the younger boy's celebration of manhood, the two princes met a girl. She was beautiful, stunningly so, and she was kind. Both of the young men lost their hearts to her the moment that they met her. However, the younger was the first to make his move, and so it came to pass that the younger prince and the beautiful girl were betrothed."

"But what about the older one?" Aang asked, and Iroh turned to look at the boy.

"Oh, he hid his love for her very well. He wanted her to be happy, you see. So he watched as his brother courted her, hoping that he was doing the right thing by keeping his affections from the both of them. As time went by, the girl befriended the older prince, and he had to work even harder to keep her from finding out his secret."

Iroh closed his eyes, remembering Ursa's sweet, unassuming smile as she spoke with him in the gardens that his brother had given to her; her laughter when he had teased her good naturedly.

"The day that his brother married her was the worst day of the older prince's life." He could remember Ursa garbed in the richest of reds, her hair done more ornately than he had ever seen it. She had looked like a doll as she and her husband had walked around the ceremonial fire, her kohl rimmed eyes completely blank. Then, she had turned and looked at Iroh and the expression on her face… It had made him wonder if he had done the right thing after all.

"The older prince eventually married and had a son of his own long before his brother's marriage produced any children." Iroh didn't bother to add why exactly that was; even he still didn't understand why Ursa had used birth control until several years after Lu Ten had made his appearance in the world.

"But even through that, he still loved the girl. Of course, he had felt love towards his wife when she was alive, but she had died while birthing his son." Iroh paused, saying a prayer for the woman with wide, fearful brown eyes and a heart that had been too full of sorrow.

"But he couldn't keep his secret for forever." Iroh remembered the widening of Ursa's eyes and the fluttering hand that she had pressed against her heart when she had forced him to look at her for too long. "Shortly after the death of his wife, the girl learned what he had been hiding."

Iroh didn't add that she had pulled him flush against her and kissed him with a passion he hadn't thought she possessed. He didn't tell the boy of the affair that followed the revelation in which he had been torn between happiness over finally being with the woman he loved and self loathing for betraying his brother in the worst of ways.

"What happened?" Aang asked, and Iroh cringed a little at the hope in the child's voice.

"It ended in pain," Iroh replied, remembering the pure hatred etched across his brother's features when he found Ursa in Iroh's arms. Shortly after the incident, Ursa learned that she was pregnant. Iroh knew that the child wasn't his, but Ozai had never been able to rid himself of the suspicion. Zuko was lucky to be born, or so Ozai had said. Zuko couldn't understand why his father disliked him so, but Iroh _knew. _Not only had his and Ursa's indiscretion led to Zuko's banishment, but also to his own loss of the throne of the Fire Nation. And, quite possibly, to Ursa's death.

"My lesson is this, young Avatar," Iroh said, forcefully shaking off the memories of his past. "Love is painful, yes, but you haven't been the first to endure it. Nor will you be the last. We have all made our mistakes and loved someone whom we weren't meant to be with."

Aang nodded slightly, but his brow furrowed deeper. "That doesn't make it any easier," he muttered under his breath, sounding more petulant and childish than the moment called for.

"No. But at least you know that you're not alone," Iroh replied, and Aang heaved out another sigh before standing.

"Thank you, Sifu Iroh," the boy said although his voice was still heavy. With that, the boy turned to leave room as quickly and nearly as dejectedly as when he had come in. However, when he reached the door, he turned around and met Iroh's eyes. "I won't tell Zuko," he said simply, betraying his knowledge of Iroh's tale.

Iroh smiled softly and nodded his thanks as the avatar shut the door and left he and his ill nephew alone together once more.

Slowly, Iroh rose from his seat on his berth and ambled over to where Zuko lay. This time, however, he wasn't looking down on his nephew and trying to find Ozai's treachery. This time, he touched the boy's face reverently and remembered the woman that he had loved and lost.

* * *

**A/N: **Once again, I'm sorry that it took so long. Anyway, I absolutely love the IrohxUrsa pairing, so I just had to include it somewhere in the story. Personally, I think it explains quite alot, although that could just be the morbid romantic in me talking.

And while I have the chance... I must say that I am extremely dissapointed with Mike and Brian, not because they're going for kataang, but because they moved into the Maiko territory way too quickly. I don't mind that pairing if it has some introduction, but really! Zuko goes from fighting her to kissing her in the space of 3 episodes? What is this? Not good writing, I'll say that much. Sorry about the ranting. I'm just a little upset it all.

Anyway, please review!


	25. Babies

Katara swiped at Zuko's forehead with a cloth, keenly aware of Iroh's gaze. She squared her jaw and ignored his oddly knowing look, preferring to continue healing the boy laying ill before her.

"Katara…" Iroh began, but Katara merely shook her head.

"Please, Uncle; don't. I know what you're going to say," she replied before Iroh could finish. "I know. But right now…right now being close to him won't hurt us."

"Katara…" Iroh's voice held a note of warning, but Katara refused to mind the admonition.

"He's unconscious, Uncle!" She exclaimed tersely, her eyes snapping to meet Iroh's angrily. Then, she forcibly calmed herself and looked back to the ill boy. "He'll never know. Iroh, this is the only time that I'll ever be able to spend this time with him. It's my only chance," she whispered, touching the boy's cheek tenderly, her eyes gone soft and watery.

She heard Iroh get up, and the sound of his sandals shuffling across the metal floor alerted her to his presence behind her. Nevertheless, she flinched when he rested his hand on her shoulder.

"My dear," he said gruffly as he gave her shoulder a little squeeze. "The tighter a miser clings to his gold, the harder it will be for him to let it go."

"I don't want to hear any of your proverbs, Uncle!" Katara snapped before she could stop the flow of words, and then she hung her head in shame at her harsh words.

Instead of shaking his head with disappointment and walking away as Katara had expected, Iroh chuckled. "You are more like my nephew than you know," he said, his voice thick with humor.

Katara glanced up at him curiously, and he smiled. "He said the same thing to me once…a lifetime ago." Iroh paused and Katara bit her lip in anticipation at his next words. "You do realize that clinging to him will only hurt you more, in the end," he said softly, and Katara let out a harsh sigh.

"I know," she murmured softly, and Iroh squeezed her shoulder in comfort. "But right now I just don't care," she added, and Iroh clucked his tongue in disapproval. Katara knew she sounded childish, but at the moment, she just didn't care. Her heart was heavy, her mind full, and her soul burdened.

"Katara…" Iroh began, his voice stern rather than comforting. It was on the tip of Katara's tongue to shout at him; to tell him that he wasn't her father, but a sharp rap on the door prevented the argument that would have inevitably followed.

Iroh paused, his gaze lingering on Katara's face for a moment. The knock came again, louder this time. Katara slid her gaze over to Iroh's and the man sighed heavily. "I'll get it," he mumbled and Katara managed a brief nod before gently swiping the cloth over Zuko's forehead again.

"Kaya! Oh…I beg your pardon, sir!" The usually smooth and cultured voice of Sora was panicked, and it startled Katara to whirl around and face the door. "Is your…wife…present?" the woman asked, her tone shaky and confused.

"No," Iroh replied, the heaviness gone from his voice and a twinkle in his eye. He gave Katara a sly wink, and Katara's face scrunched up in confusion. "But my niece is," he added, and held the door open wide enough to grant the girl access.

Katara started at the sight of her. Black hair was in disarray, her eyes were red rimmed, and her clothes were disheveled. "Sora!" Katara cried in dismay, and her new friend rushed over to her, falling to her knees in her haste.

Katara hurried over to the young woman and helped her to her feet. "Sora, what is it? Tell me what happened!"

Sora gripped Katara's forearms tightly, and Katara frowned. "Where's Nozomi?" Katara cried. "Is she all right? Has anything happened to her?" she exclaimed, feeling a bubble of panic rising in her belly.

"No…no…she's fine," Sora replied quickly, and Katara breathed a sigh of relief. "For now," Sora added under her breath, and Katara felt her heart take a dive into the pit of her stomach.

"I'll go get some tea," Iroh said, effectively breaking into their conversation. Katara nodded towards him gratefully, and the aging man hastily made his exit.

"What is it?" Katara prodded, drawing Sora over to her bunk and sitting the woman down before taking a seat beside her.

"My father…he replied to my letter," Sora replied after some time, and her voice quavered when she spoke. "He…he told me that he would let me come home…but only if…" Sora's voice broke again and she buried her head in her hands.

"If what?" Katara prompted, trying and failing to keep the edge of panic out of her voice.

"If…If…" Sora started and then paused again. "If I…" she stopped again, unable to continue.

"If you what?"

"If I drown Nozomi!" Sora cried, and Katara felt her heart sink.

Silence descended between the pair, and when Katara finally did speak, her voice was full of suppressed emotion. "You're considering it," she observed, trying hard not to sound judgmental.

"What else am I supposed to do?" Sora cried, burying her head in her hands. "I don't have anyone else that I can turn to, Kaya! My parents are all I have left in the world!"

"You have a daughter!" Katara protested, and tears began to stream down Sora's cheeks.

"Don't you think I know that!" she shouted and Katara stilled. "But I don't have a choice," she added, her voice lowered to a harsh whisper.

"Of course you have a choice! You gave birth to her! Isn't it your responsibility to love her and care for her until the day she dies? Isn't it…"

"Maybe that's the way it works in the Water Tribes, Kaya, but not in the Fire Nation!" Sora shouted, and Katara found that she couldn't even breathe.

"You can't kill her," Katara said with conviction, and Sora averted her gaze, swiping at her wet cheeks with a trembling hand.

"Do you think I want to?" Sora replied in a whisper, her gaze directed to her lap. "I love her, Kaya, but there isn't a place for her in my world. She would be ridiculed and she'd probably never find a husband… Maybe it would be better if she died now. Maybe I'd be doing her a favor."

Katara pressed her hand to her breast, tears falling down copper cheeks. "No," she whispered hoarsely and shook her head. "No!" she exclaimed, and Sora bit her lower lip hard. "You can't do this!" Katara shouted, and Sora began to cry harder again.

"Kaya…"

"I'll take her!" Katara exclaimed before Sora could say anything further. "I'll adopt her as my own. No one will ever know the difference!"

Sora froze, her tear filled amber eyes meeting Katara's blue ones. "You…you would do that?" she whispered, wiping tears out of her eyes.

Katara looked away, biting her lip. "The ship is docking tonight," she murmured, and then met Sora's eyes. "Get off the ship and stay at an inn for a few days. When enough time has passed, write a letter telling your father that…that it is done. Then, take a different ship back to the Fire Nation."

Sora was frozen in place, as though she couldn't quite believe what was happening. "Tonight…" she murmured under her breath, and Katara noted that Sora's chest stopped heaving and her breath came easier. "But that means…this is my last day with Nozomi," she whispered, and Katara nodded stiffly.

The Fire Nation woman let out a shuddering sigh, nodded, and then attempted to smooth her rumpled skirts. "Kaya…" she began, but Katara held up a hand to stop her flow of words.

"I'll do this on one condition, Sora," Katara said softly, but her voice was as hard as steel. "Nimi will never know that you are her true mother. If you ever find us, don't come and speak to her…or to me."

Sora's breath caught in her throat, but she forced herself to nod. "Not being able to see her is better than her death," the woman whispered shakily, and Katara frowned deeply. "I…I should go," Sora added, wiping away the rest of her tears. Katara nodded, and walked the woman to the door.

"Kaya…thank you," she said gratefully when she went to leave the cabin and Katara managed a slight nod before closing the door.

It wasn't until several hours later, when Sora placed Nozomi in her arms before disappearing into the night, that Katara realized the full implications of what she had done.

---------------------------------

"You what?" Sokka shouted once the group was ensconced in his cabin. Katara winced and clutched the baby closer to her when it began to whimper.

"I adopted her," Katara repeated, her voice filled with defiance as her chin lifted a fraction.

"But you can't just…I…look…You…" Sokka swiped his hand over his face in frustration. "Suki! Tell her!" Sokka finally exclaimed in exasperation, and his girlfriend crossed her arms over her chest, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"You knew that she would endanger our mission," Suki observed, more to make Sokka happy than anything else.

"Yes."

"Then why do you do this without telling any of us?"

"Because you would have said no!" Katara snapped, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Of course we would have said no! Anybody with any brains in their heads would know just exactly what a stupid, lain-brain…"

"You haven't even let her tell her side of the story!" Aang exclaimed, quickly stepping in to defend Katara. He glared at Sokka, and then turned to the girl. "Now, Katara, why don't you tell us?" Aang prompted, tossing Katara a large smile.

Sokka mumbled incoherently under his breath, and Toph punched him hard in the arm. "We all know why Sugar Queen did it. She's sugar Queen!" Toph grumbled, and Katara tossed a glare at the girl.

"Sora needed to get rid of her. It was either me who took her or else…" Katara trailed off, but the implications of her statement were clear. For the first time since she'd announced her adoption of Nozomi, there was silence.

"My dear…" Iroh began, his voice grave. "I understand the gravity of the situation, but have you considered what would become of the child after the war is over?" he questioned, and Katara shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"I guess I'll take her home with me," she replied slowly, although she hadn't really thought of it beforehand. Her decision to adopt Nozomi had been an impulsive one, and now Katara was realizing that there were serious consequences for what she had decided so nonchalantly.

"To the South Pole?" Iroh queried, and Katara nodded. Sokka slapped his forehead with his hand and groaned, but the groan quickly turned into a yelp of pain when Toph stomped on his instep. "What about Zuko?" Iroh asked further, and Katara frowned.

"He may get attached as well, since it is technically Lee and Kaya who have adopted this baby. What if he doesn't want to let her go?" he continued, and Katara chewed on her lower lip.

"He can come and visit," Katara said, and Iroh shook his head.

"I think we both know that is a terrible idea," Iroh said, and then placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Little swallow."

The nickname brought their conversation to mind, and Katara felt her stomach churn at the thought of never seeing the boy again. "He'll have to learn how to say goodbye," Katara murmured, clutching the baby close to her chest. She felt the child rooting, and she drew her lip between her teeth again.

"Nimi's hungry," she whispered, effectively changing the subject.

Iroh stared hard at the girl for a moment before he sighed. "I suppose I'll head down to the galley and get some milk then," the aging man said wearily, and Katara gave him a smile of gratitude as he headed out of the cabin.

"That's it?" Sokka demanded, his disbelief evident in his voice. "We can't keep it!" he exclaimed, and Katara threw him a furious glare. "Look, Katara, you're nod ready to be a mother yet. You're fifteen years old, for La's sake! How do you expect to raise a child?"

"I've done a decent job of looking after you," Katara snapped, and Sokka stared at her, bug eyed.

"Quiet!" Toph shouted, stamping her foot on the iron ground and causing it to tremble beneath her bare feet. "There's nothing we can do about it now, Snoozles. You might as well get used to the kid," she grumbled, and Sokka swallowed hard.

"She is your niece," Suki added, laying her hand on Sokka's forearm gently. Sokka glanced between his sister and his girlfriend before throwing his hands up in the air and marching out of the cabin.

"Just how the hell am I supposed to explain this to Dad?" he muttered under his breath as he stalked out and slammed the door behind him.

The girls stared at each other in silence before Suki quickly crossed over to see Katara. "Oh, she's adorable," the Kyoshi warrior practically squealed, and it took everything in Katara not to laugh. Toph made a gagging noise, and then turned to Aang.

"Come on, Twinkle Toes. One more minute of this and I'm going to be sick," the blind earthbender grumbled, letting out a huff of air that made her bangs flutter.

"But I want to see…" Aang protested, but Toph cut him off.

"Now!" she exclaimed, and Aang shrugged sheepishly.

"Okay, okay! Don't be so pushy," the boy muttered, quickly following the earthbender out of the cabin lest he invoke her wrath. He turned around at the door to wave at Katara, but Toph dragged him off before he could say anything else.

Katara met Suki's eyes and burst into laughter. The baby cooed garbled nonsense in Katara's arms, her mouth stretching into a small smile of her own as she observed the two women's mirth from behind amber eyes. Katara laughed again, cuddling the small child closer to her.

Suki smiled, and then gently touched the little girl's cheek. "I wonder if If Sokka'll want a baby," the Kyoshi warrior whispered, and Katara frowned.

"Of course he will," Katara assured her friend, and then her eyes narrowed slightly in mischief. "And from the amount of time you and Sokka spend 'gathering firewood…'"

Suki flushed, and then scowled. "Well at least we don't gawk at each other like you and Zuko do," the Kyoshi warrior muttered under her breath, and Katara shook her head.

"We don't gawk. We observe each other's battle techniques," Katara replied smoothly, making Suki choke back another round of laughter.

"Now that's one that I've never heard before," Suki replied, mirth in her voice. A comfortable silence settled between the two women again, and then Suki sighed heavily.

"Katara…you know Sokka better than anyone. Do you think…do you think he really loves me, or am I just another girl to him?" Suki asked awkwardly, fiddling with the hem of her dress.

Katara started, and then frowned deeply. "Sokka's been…admired…by a lot of girls, but there's only two who really actually count. Yue and you. But my brother and Yue didn't exactly have the closest of relationships. I mean, she was engaged to another man, and… Suffice to say, they couldn't develop too serious of a relationship." Katara paused, and then gripped Suki's hand with one of her own. "He loves you, Suki."

Suki nodded slightly, and then fidgeted. "So he says," she murmured, and then clasped her hands tightly together. "But do you think he'd still love me if something horrible happened?"

"Of course…"

"I mean, something really bad? If something that he really didn't want to happen did?" Suki continued, and Katara's frown deepened.

"What kind of 'thing,' exactly?" Katara asked, looking into Suki's eyes. The girl's face had been pale for the past few days, but Katara hadn't thought it serious until this moment. The bags under her eyes told of more than sleep deprivation; they spoke of a troubled spirit. The sudden realizations made Katara's heart stop and her breath catch in her throat. "Suki?" Katara prompted, steeling herself for the worst.

The warrior fidgeted again, and then she let out a deep, shaking breath. "Katara…I think I'm pregnant."

------------------------

The first thing that he was aware of was light, bright and blinding. Zuko winced and shut his eyes once again, relishing the darkness. A cool, soft hand touched his forehead, and he frowned, unused to the sensation. He attempted to sit up, but the attempt was feeble at best.

_What, by Agni…_ Zuko thought, and then remembered. Azula had tried and failed to kill Katara, and he…he had taken the brunt force of the lightening. Panic set in when Zuko realized that they had been severely outnumbered, and that his fall in battle had placed the group in even greater danger. Were they captives of Azula now? What had his sister done to his friends, to… "Katara!" Zuko had meant to shout, but the word came out more as a whimper than anything else

A gentle touch on his arm distracted him and drew him out of his panicked wonderings. Slowly, he forced himself to open his eyes. His vision swam at first, but he saw red cloth when he finally got a hold on his surroundings. A frown furrowed his brow, and he slowly moved his eyes upwards.

The cloth gave way to a slash of tanned skin and then cloth took over again as it swathed its way about a woman's breasts. The cloth fell away once more to reveal soft, slim shoulders and upper arms encased in gold bracelets. He lifted his eyes higher, over a small, rounded chin, full lips and a dainty nose, to meet familiar blue eyes. "Katara?" he whispered, staring at the stranger before him.

Gold bangles jangled as the girl crossed her arms over her bare stomach self-consciously, but Zuko's eyes never strayed from the girl's. "Is that really you?" he asked, and he felt his heart squeeze when he saw tears fill the girl's eyes.

Then, she launched herself at him, bare bronzed arms wrapping their way about his neck as she buried her face in his chest. She was mumbling things into his flesh, but he couldn't make out a word of it. Weakly, he encircled her with his own arms and rested his head on her hair.

"Where are we?" he asked once she had stilled in his embrace, and he felt her sigh against him.

"On our way to the Fire Nation," she replied softly, clinging tighter to him at the thought of the foreign country.

"Azula…"

"We escaped."

Zuko nodded, and then frowned deeply when he recalled how the battle had gone. "How? She was beating us; we didn't stand a chance! How could…"

"I destroyed her ship." The soft statement startled Zuko more than anything else could have. He had expected for her to say that Aang had gone into the Avatar state. Hell, even Azula's ship smashing into a cliff would have made more sense. But the thought that this small, quaking girl in his arms had defeated his sister…it was unthinkable.

"How…"

"When I saw you go down, I…" Katara trailed off and she clutched him closer to her. "It was like something inside of me snapped. I was able to channel of my rage and fear and lo…and, well, all of my emotions into my bending. I haven't been so terrified in years, Zuko!" she finished the last statement in a whisper, and she felt tears threaten to spill over her cheeks.

"Katara," Zuko whispered, pushing her away enough so that he could see her face. A tear dropped from her cheek and onto his lap, and his heart constricted. Gently, he placed his hand beneath her chin and lifted her face up so that he could see her eyes.

There was so much that he wanted to say to her; so many words that needed to be spoken between them. But as he looked into her eyes, he saw fragility, and knew that she wasn't quite ready for that conversation yet. So instead of talking, he angled his head and lowered his lips to hers.

He'd half expected her to pull away, considering how their last kiss had ended. Instead, she dug her fingers into his hair and thrust her tongue into his mouth, as though she was desperate to feel him, to know that he was, in fact, alive. Startled by her quick reaction, it took a moment for Zuko to respond.

More than anything he wanted to give into her touch and kiss her back with as much passion as she was kissing him, but he knew that wasn't what either of them needed. Instead, he cupped her face with his hands and gentled the kiss, letting her know in his own way that he wasn't about to leave her again.

When they finally drew apart, Katara's breathing was labored and a dusting of red covered her cheeks. Zuko smiled in amusement at her sudden modesty and then sank back against the pillows, exhausted. His head was swimming from the encounter, and not exactly in a good way.

Katara seemed to notice his sudden weakness and she bit her lip. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…" she trailed off and then sighed harshly. "Some healer I am, pushing my patient beyond his limits," she grumbled to herself as she reached behind Zuko to fluff his pillows and then pressed her palm against his forehead to feel for his temperature.

When she went to her hand away, Zuko captured her wrist. "I guess this means I'm off the hook for kissing you in front of your brother, hm?" he asked with a slight smile, and despite herself, Katara chuckled. Then the chuckle developed into a true laugh, and she fell back into his arms again.

"Maybe with me," she admitted once her laughter had died down and she was once again snuggled against his chest. "But Sokka'll never forgive you."

"Figures," Zuko murmured, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of Katara against him. He would have been content to lie beside her for hours, but a shrill cry from Katara's bunk chased away such fancies. "What the…" he muttered as he struggled to sit up, cold overtaking him when Katara moved out of his embrace.

The girl hurried over to her bunk and lifted a small bundle into her arms, crooning to it softly. Zuko felt a seed of horror grow in his gut when he realized that the shrieks were indeed coming from the bundle, and something told him it wasn't a hogmonkey that Katara was cradling so close to her chest.

After a time, the shrieking stopped, and hiccups and sniffles were left in its wake. Zuko stared at Katara, his good eye wide as she turned to him with a wan, tired smile. When she came to sit back beside him, it was all Zuko could do not to bury his head under the blankets and scoot as far as he could to the wall in order to avoid the _thing_ she was holding.

"Zuko…" Katara began, tilting the bundle in her arms towards him. "I would like you to meet your daughter."

Zuko stared in utter shock as the chubby face of an amber eyed baby was revealed to him. "My…daughter?" Zuko managed past the lump in his throat as he stared at the child cradled in Katara's arms. "But we never…when did…" Zuko stopped talking as he took in the size and probable age of the baby. "How long have we been on this boat?" he exclaimed, his head feeling fuzzy again.

Katara chuckled softly, and then gently began to bounce the baby. "She's not ours biologically," Katara clarified, and smiled when she watched Zuko breathe out a massive sigh of relief. "I adopted her. And since you're supposed to be my husband, she's yours by default," Katara explained, and Zuko's brow furrowed as he attempted to digest the information.

It seemed like it was just yesterday that Katara was angry with him for kissing her in public, and it felt like only minutes ago that he was attacked by Azula. Now, suddenly, the danger was gone and he was responsible for a child? It was as though the world had tipped on its axis, and Zuko wasn't quite sure how to deal with the situation.

"Hold her for me." Katara had placed the baby in his arms before Zuko had a chance to protest, and his eyes went wide as he stared at the bundle in his arms. "I need to go check up on Suki," Katara said before heading towards the door.

"What…wait! No! I just woke up! You can't leave me with…" the boy cried out in terror, but the door had already slid closed, and the room was empty save for him and the child that he was awkwardly holding.

Zuko had never been around babies; he and his sister were relatively close in age, and living with sailors for three years took the edge off of whatever fraternal instinct he might have possessed. Zuko scowled, and then looked down at the baby, who was peering up at him curiously.

His scowl deepened, and then Zuko's felt on the verge of panic when the baby's face screwed up. "Oh no…don't cry!" Zuko exclaimed, reaching down and lifting the baby by the armpits. That only seemed to make the situation worse, for the little girl's face began to flush and her face contorted even more.

"Shit," Zuko grumbled under his breath, and then he mentally slapped himself for cursing in front of a baby. Katara would no doubt have his hide. Meanwhile, the baby's fists had curled up and she looked as though she were about to begin screaming.

"Hey, sh, it's okay; it's okay," Zuko murmured. He quickly glanced about the room to be sure it was truly empty, and then he drew the baby against his chest, patting her back softly. When another quick glance confirmed that he was indeed alone, he began to hum a bit of the lullaby that he remembered his mother singing.

He felt the little girl relax against his chest, and he smiled slightly before leaning back against the pillows, keeping his hand pressed securely against the baby's back.

When Katara re-entered the room several minutes later, her warmed at what she saw. Zuko was sprawled out on his back, snoring softly, with Nozomi sleeping against his bare chest. Katara smiled, and made her way over to the pair softly so as not to disturb them.

She placed a gentle kiss against Nozomi's head, and then rested her fingertips against Zuko's cheek, wondering if she'd ever feel such love for a man again.

* * *

Once again, I'm sorry it took me so long to update.

Anyways, PLEASE REVIEW!


	26. The Return

Katara clutched Nozomi tightly in her arms as she stood upon the deck of the Fire Nation ship. Zuko stood close behind her, so close that she could feel his chest rise and fall as he breathed. The gates of Azulon loomed before them, the proud statue cutting into the expanse of blue sky. "The Fire Nation," Katara whispered, her voice strained and her body tense.

Zuko reached forward and grasped one of her hands tightly in his own, trying to keep his own nervousness from revealing itself. "My home," he added, forcing the fear from his voice. He needed to be strong, if only for Katara's sake. If he crumbled… Zuko shook his head quickly to push the thoughts out of his mind. But still…

Being in the Fire Nation meant being closer to his sister. They had escaped once, but she knew everything about their plans. It would only be a matter of time until Azula found them, and when that happened… Zuko swallowed hard against the images of pain and torture that swam up to meet his mind's eye. It was not himself that he was afraid for, but the others.

"You're tense," Katara observed, and Zuko was promptly pulled from his thoughts.

"It's been a while," he said with a slight shrug, careful to keep his tone neutral. Zuko's eyes widened when Katara's fingers laced through his and her hand squeezed his gently.

"It'll be okay," she whispered, and then leaned back against his chest. "I'm Kaya, you're Lee, this is our daughter, Nozomi, and we're creating a new life for ourselves in your homeland." She paused and took a deep breath. "We'll be fine."

Zuko sighed softly, and then planted a kiss against the girl's forehead. "I know we will," he murmured, and then wrapped his arms tighter around Katara. "I know."

They stood like that for a moment, the Fire Nation wind rushing about them as they huddled against each other. Katara then sighed roughly and stepped out of Zuko's embrace. "I've been thinking a lot lately," she murmured, and Zuko frowned deeply.

"About?" he questioned, and Katara took a few steps forwards so that her hips brushed against the rail of the ship. Zuko watched her closely as he waited for her response, noting how natural she looked with a Fire Nation child in her arms. Some part of him wished that it were _his _child that she was holding, but he quickly pushed the thought from his mind.

"Us." The reply soft reply was carried to him on the breeze, and Zuko felt his heart skip a beat. They had always been careful to avoid the subject… ever since the night after their first kiss, that is. Their feelings for each other were known but went unspoken in order to keep tensions between them at a minimum. So why was she bringing it up now? Had he said something in his delirium? Zuko felt his blood run cold and he cleared his throat.

"Us?" he replied, careful to keep his voice neutral.

"We…I…" Katara stopped and shook her head slightly, unable to put the words together. She took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. "You know how I feel about you, right?" she asked softly after a moment, her eyes trained on the ocean below them.

"How we both feel," Zuko replied softly, moving to step up beside her.

Katara was silent for a moment, and she instinctively pulled Nozomi closer to herself. "We're going to be living as husband and wife…" Katara began, but then she trailed off. "But we have to reach an agreement."

Zuko stilled and he glanced over Katara, taking in the slight trembling of her chin and the determination in her blue eyes. He felt a sickening sense of dread come over him, and he had the urge to grab her in his arms and kiss her senseless…to do anything to stop the flow of words that he was sure would come.

"We can't be anything more than friends," Katara said softly, and Zuko's throat went dry. Katara continued to stare out at the ocean, unable to face him as she spoke the words that damned their blossoming romance. "No more touching or kissing or…" she trailed off, closing her eyes briefly.

When Zuko gripped her shoulders and forced her to face him, Katara was glad that Nozomi was planted securely in her arms. The baby was her shield, at least for the moment. "Why?" Zuko demanded, his grip on her shoulders tightening.

Finally, Katara met Zuko's eyes and her heart ached at the hurt she saw reflected in them. "Zuko," Katara whispered, dropping their charade in the face of the seriousness of the moment. "There's no place for me in your life. We both know that. If we win this war, you will be Fire Lord. I think we can both agree on the fact that I wouldn't make the best Fire Lady," she continued with a mirthless chuckle. "And if we lose, well… one or both of us will be dead."

"Don't say that," Zuko exclaimed earnestly, thinking of his sister briefly.

"But it's true."

"Listen to me. Even if we lose this war, I _will_ protect you. Neither of us is going to die!" Zuko exclaimed with conviction. _Even if I have to sell my soul to Azula, I'll keep you safe._

"Zuko," Katara whispered softly as she shook her head. "You're not making this any easier for me."

"Good!" Zuko exclaimed before bending over and capturing Katara's lips in his possessively. The kiss was awkward, as Katara held Nozomi clutched tightly against her chest and the baby served as a barrier between them. But Zuko didn't care. He poured all of his passion and anger and hurt into the kiss, and by the way Katara trembled, he knew just how desperately she wanted to respond.

But she didn't. She stood solid, her eyes squeezed closed as tears streamed down copper cheeks. When Zuko finally pulled away, Katara covered her mouth with a hand and rested her head on top of Nozomi's as she wept.

Something inside Zuko broke as he watched Katara cry, and knowing that he was the cause of it made it all the harder to bear. "Hey…I…" he began, and reached out to touch her cheek. Katara flinched at the contact, so Zuko quickly pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and the girl shook her head, her face still hidden from him.

"Please," she said hoarsely through her tears. "Promise me that you'll never do that again." She sniffled, and then wiped her tears away with the heel of her hand. When she finally looked up and met his gaze, her eyes were pleading. "Please," She whispered hoarsely.

"I can't," Zuko replied, his throat closing. _I love you too much_. That thought went unspoken, but it burned a hole in Zuko's already wounded heart. When he saw Katara shake her head in pain and disappointment, he offered, "But I promise that I'll try."

Katara searched his eyes, took a shuddering breath, and then nodded. "Thank you," she murmured and then let out a deep sigh. "If our situation were different… In another lifetime…maybe we…" Katara whispered as she met Zuko's gaze, her heart feeling as though it had been torn in two.

_Zuko stared at her, and suddenly Katara's form was gone, replaced by a girl with black hair and eyes the shade of emeralds. The world about him fell away, and suddenly he was on a battlefield, the coppery taste of blood in his mouth and the tears of a woman falling onto his face_

"_If our situation were different… In another lifetime…maybe we could be together_…" _he whispered, reaching up to cup the girl's face. However, he was too weak, and his hand fell limply to his side. _

_The woman sniffled, and he could tell how much effort it was taking for her to be strong for his sake. "Next time, there won't be a war. We'll meet in a time of peace," she whispered, her voice choked and strained. _

_He nodded his head, the action costing him dearly. "We'll be together again. I promise," he whispered. _

The image fell away, and he was Zuko once more. The girl with tears in her eyes was not one of Earth crying over her dying lover, but one of Water weeping for the love that could never be. In a sudden flash of understanding, Zuko realized that this lifetime was not the first that he and Katara had met. There had been a different time, a different war, but the same love. And even then, they had been unable to be together.

"No, we wouldn't," Zuko replied softly, the knowledge filling him with a profound sense of loss.

-----------------

The tea shop was smaller than Katara had imagined it would be, although it had been kept up immaculately. Come to think of it, the entire capital city was spotless and its white marble gleamed in the sunlight. Iroh stood before the red door, his beard hanging down over his ample belly and his face smoothed into a smile.

"Remember the story, children," Iroh instructed the group placidly, and all except for Toph nodded in response. The former scoffed, and kicked at the earth roughly.

Katara gripped Suki's hand tightly, Nozomi balanced on one hip. "It's going to be fine," she assured her friend, who squeezed her hand in response. Katara glanced over to where Zuko stood beside her, his hands at his sides and his jaw locked. She cast a small smile in his direction, and he returned it half-heartedly.

Iroh glanced over the group one more time before knocking the door three times in rapid succession. Within several moments' time, the door had opened a crack and an elderly man peeked out. "I'm sorry, but we're closed for today…" the man murmured, but paused when he saw Iroh reach into his sleeve.

"We are the new employees of the Honorable Ye Zhi," Iroh said with a bow as he handed the man a letter. The man glanced it over briefly, and then pushed the door open fully.

"Please, enter," He replied, a smile curving on his small features. The elderly man stepped inside, and the gang quickly filed inside.

"I am Ye Zhi," the man said, and Katara glanced over at him in surprise. He was a tiny little man with a white mustache, long silvery hair tied at the base of his neck, and eyes so small and slanted that Katara could barely see past the folds of flesh. "I am grateful to have gained so many employees," he added, and Katara noted that his lips had yet to move out of a seemingly permanent smile.

"Not as grateful as we are to be here," Iroh replied with another bow, which seemed to make the little man smile even more.

Just then, a woman entered the room, her silvery hair tucked into a high chignon. "This is my wife, Hana," Ye Zhi informed the little group, and the woman gave a slight, almost condescending bow. She was taller than her husband, and her small mouth was stern. Absently, Katara wondered how such a pair had ever come to be, but she quickly pushed the thought away.

"I am Mushi," Iroh introduced himself, and then straightened and glanced over the gang once. "This is my nephew, Lee, his wife, Kaya, and their daughter, Nozomi," Iroh introduced his most immediate family members first.

Katara bowed slightly when she saw Hana's shrewd little eyes pass over her. The woman lifted a brow as she glanced between Zuko and Katara, and then looked pointedly down at the baby. "Ah…I see," she said, her eyes gleaming. The next time she looked at Katara, she did so with distaste. Katara felt her cheeks warm at the implication, and Zuko quickly rested a hand on her shoulder defensively.

"Sheng," Iroh said, gesturing towards Sokka, "Is my niece-in-law's brother, this is his wife, Suki, and Suki's younger siblings Aki and Tetsu," Iroh finished, and frowned slightly when he saw Hana's eyes flick over the foreigners with thinly veiled resentment.

"Well, we are in sore need of the help," the elderly woman then said as she glanced over the assembled group once more. "I suppose that beggars can't be choosers," she then added with a smooth smile, and Katara felt a surge of dislike overwhelm her. "Ume will show you to your rooms," the woman finished before turning and gracefully leaving the room.

"This way, if you please," a young girl said, capturing the group's attention. Iroh nodded and followed the girl out of the room and up a flight of wooden stairs. Katara was quick to notice that everyone in the house thus far had been wearing socks, and she felt self conscious as she made her way up the stairs in a pair of Fire Nation sandals.

"This will be your room, Master Mushi," Ume said shyly as she opened a thin wooden door. "Your nephew and his family will be staying here as well," she added when Iroh looked within. Katara let out a sigh of relief that she and Zuko would be supervised, and she quickly slipped within. Nozomi had grown heavy in her arms, and it was all that Katara could do to hold the tot.

"There is a washroom attached," Katara heard Ume continue, and she peeked inside. A small, tin washtub sat in one corner while the toilet and sink were crammed against the wall. It was small, surely, but it was serviceable. Iroh and Zuko entered the room then, and the rest of the gang continued.

"You look tired, my dear," Iroh observed when Katara re-entered the bedroom. Katara smiled weakly in response as she placed a squirming Nozomi on the ground. The child had discovered that she could crawl sometime after Katara had taken custody of the girl, and the baby was now running Katara ragged with her mischievous nature. True to form, the tot immediately pushed herself to her hands and knees and crawled quickly in the direction of a small furnace.

"No, Nimi!" Katara exclaimed, picking up the child and then placing her down again. The little girl paid Katara no heed, and immediately set out in that direction again. "No!" Katara exclaimed, grabbing the little girl by the waist and then hefting her back up into her arms.

The child babbled incoherently in anger and shook her tiny fists in the air. Iroh chuckled at the baby's antics, and Katara rolled her eyes. "You _would_ find it funny," she muttered under hear breath, and Iroh chuckled again.

"Hand her to me," Iroh instructed, and Katara willingly passed him her burden. "Now why don't you go take a nice, hot bath?" Iroh suggested, and Katara crinkled her nose.

"In that tub?" she muttered, and then realized how childish she sounded. "Are you sure you'll be alright watching Nimi?" she then amended, and Iroh grinned.

"Do you realize how long I've waited to have a grandchild?" he asked, and gently bounced the baby in his arms, making her shriek with delight. "The little tadpole and I will get along just fine."

Katara smiled slightly at the pair before nodding and entering the washroom. "I'll only be a few minutes."

"Take all the time that you need," Iroh replied, waving the girl off. Once the door was shut and Iroh heard the water running, he turned to his nephew. "Would you care to tell me what happened between the two of you?" Iroh then asked as he busied himself making a nest of blankets for the little girl on the floor.

Zuko, jerked out of his self imposed stupor, glanced over at his uncle sharply. "That's none of your business," he muttered under his breath, throwing himself on one of the two beds in the small room.

"Nephew…" Iroh replied as he gently planted the squirming baby inside the nest and handed her one of his Pai Sho chips to play with. The little girl grabbed it between her chubby hands and then quickly brought it to her mouth.

"Fine. We reached an understanding, okay?" Zuko snapped, staring up at the ceiling.

"What kind of agreement?" Iroh prodded, and Zuko growled in the back of his throat. The noise made little Nozomi turn towards him, her almond eyes widening as she continued sucking on the game piece.

"One that she thought was best for us," Zuko muttered, and Iroh nodded slowly.

"Smart girl," he murmured and Zuko trained a glare on the aging man. "You do realize that she's right, don't you?" Iroh said, and Zuko glowered. Iroh took the boy's silence as a confirmation, and turned his attention back to the baby.

"I'm going to go check on the others. Watch her," Iroh said after a time of making faces at the little girl and waggling his fingers in the air above her head. Nozomi frowned at the sudden halt of affection, and she slapped the Pai Sho chip she held on the floor repeatedly in order to demonstrate her irritation.

"Uncle!" Zuko protested, and Iroh fixed a severe eye on him.

"She's your daughter, remember?" The elderly man reminded his nephew, and Zuko reluctantly swung his legs over the bed as he continued to glare at his uncle.

"Fine," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet and walking over to the little girl. His uncle smiled in approval and then looked down towards the baby. "You be good for your daddy," Iroh instructed, and Zuko snorted under his breath. With that, Iroh tossed a last smile in Zuko's direction and exited the room. Left alone with Nozomi, Zuko glanced down at the little girl, attempting to hide his trepidation.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" he wondered aloud, and the baby cocked her head and stared at him as though he were the strangest creature in the world. A dribble of drool slowly made its way over her bottom lip and Zuko grimaced as he instinctively bent and wiped it off with his sleeve. "We don't want your mama to see you all messy, do we?" he muttered under his breath as he did so.

That comment seemed to break the spell the little girl was under, and suddenly she gave Zuko a toothless smile as she reached up her arms. Zuko frowned; puzzled at the way she seemed to stretch herself up towards him and babble incoherently while she continued to grin in her own strange little way.

"Oh," Zuko said as the realization hit him. Awkwardly, he reached down and lifted the little girl into his arms, wincing when she tugged on a tuft of black hair. "Hey!" he exclaimed, batting her chubby little hands away. The little girl frowned, her lips turning downwards inside mounds of chubby cheeks. She then squawked in protest, and Zuko searched for something else to divert her attention.

Finding nothing, he heaved out a sigh and carried Nozomi over to the bed with him. There, he spread his legs and sat her down between them to ensure that she wouldn't fall off the bed. He could only imagine what Katara would do to him then. He could just picture her horrified face as she would scoop the crying baby into her arms, and then the anger burning in her eyes when she would glare at him.

"Your Mama is a very scary lady," Zuko informed the baby, who stared up at him with those pretty almond shaped eyes of hers. Then, she grabbed onto his bent legs and attempted to pull herself up. Zuko smiled slightly at her antics despite himself, and then placed his index fingers in her hands. Given a new hold, Nozomi struggled upwards, but couldn't make it off of her bottom. Zuko laughed slightly at her discomfiture, and gently lifted her to her feet by her armpits.

"That better?" he asked, and his grin widened when she bounced herself in his hands. "Maybe I'll make a good dad after all," he observed with a wry smile, and the baby frowned suddenly.

She let out a stream of nonsense and then… "Da?"

Zuko froze as he stared at the little girl. "Wha…"

"Da!" Nozomi exclaimed, looking quite proud of herself. "Da, da, da, da, da!"

Zuko stared at the baby in shock and then laughed. "Oh, wait until Katara hears this!" he exclaimed, and then chucked the little girl under the chin. "That's a girl! Saying my name before your Mama's. Good job!" he commended the child, and her toothless little grin grew even wider.

"Da!" she exclaimed again, her bouncing growing more rambunctious in the wake of Zuko's approval.

Zuko laughed again and then scooped the little girl into his arms before jumping off the bed and twirling the baby around once. Nozomi squealed with delight, and Zuko's grin widened. "You like that?" he asked, and the baby continued to babble happily, occasionally throwing her new word into the mix. In response, Zuko spun the child around again.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Katara's enraged voice stopped Zuko in his tracks, and he glanced down at Nozomi.

"Oops. Mama caught us," he said in a stage whisper while bouncing the little girl. The child laughed delightedly, but Katara looked less than amused.

"You could have dropped her, and then what would have happened? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? Have you ever even been around children?" she demanded, and Zuko rolled his eyes. Katara stalked over to him and snatched the baby out of his arms before quickly fussing over the little girl.

"Are you okay, Nimi?" Katara asked, the concern in her voice both annoying and amusing Zuko.

"Da!" the little girl exclaimed and Katara went completely still.

"What did you say, honey?" Katara asked softly, her gaze flickering over to Zuko's.

"Da!" The little girl exclaimed again, her toothless grin displaying her pride in her accomplishment.

Katara looked over at Zuko and scowled at the smug grin that had spread across his features. "Look at you, all full of yourself," Katara muttered, and Zuko chuckled.

Parenting had seemed to dissolve the stress that had been between them all morning, and Zuko felt his heart warm when Katara attempted to teach Nozomi how to say 'Mama' is earnest. When the child stubbornly insisted on saying 'Da' every time, Zuko drew amusement out of Katara's frustration.

Finally giving up, Katara heaved out a sigh and glanced up at Zuko with a slight smile on her features. "Apparently, she's _your_ daughter," she muttered good naturedly, and Zuko decided to take pity on the girl.

"Kids always say the Dad's name first," Zuko replied with a nonchalant shrug. "But we all know that they love their mothers more," he said, and Katara tossed him a grateful smile.

_Maybe there's hope for us yet, _Zuko thought to himself, and his smile grew wider than it had been in some time.

--------------------

_Quickly! Get in, get out! Don't let anybody see me!_ Ty Lee repeated the mantra to herself over and over again as she crept across the roof of the tea shop. If the owners were to see her, they would surely tell General Iroh, and then Zuko's cover would be busted. _Almost there!_

Ty Lee carefully slid down the roof tiles and grabbed onto the edge, careful to keep her movements as silent as humanly possible. The window was just below her. Carefully, Ty Lee wrapped her legs around one of the spokes of the roof before flipping upside down. Luckily, the window had been propped open already, so she could push it all the way with little noise.

With the grace only an acrobat could possess, Ty Lee gripped the windowsill with her fingertips and slowly removed her legs from the spokes. Through careful movements, she brought her legs down to a ledge below the windowsill before she allowed herself to straighten out.

The girl sighed with relief once it was all over, and then peered into the room. Luckily, a candle had been left burning on one of the nightstands so that Ty Lee could make out which bed was General Iroh's and which was Zuko's.

Iroh was sleeping like a baby, curled onto his side and the blankets bunched around his legs. Ty Lee had to stifle a giggle at the sight, and then she glanced over at Zuko's bed. Except…Zuko wasn't alone. His body was wrapped around the Water Tribe girl's, and she had a baby sleeping soundly against her. Ty Lee's eyes widened. _What by Agni…_

Ty Lee quickly shook her head, and then reached into the pouch she had strapped to her hip. She wasn't as good a shot as Mai, but she had to try. Quickly, Ty Lee pulled a stone out of the pouch and carefully aimed it at Zuko's shoulder. She uttered a quick prayer that the missile would reach its target, and then tossed it at the boy.

Sure enough, the stone hit Zuko square in the shoulder and the boy jerked awake with a muffled curse. He glanced up quickly, and his eyes connected with Ty Lee's in the darkness. Ty Lee watched as a shudder seemed to course through his body, and his eyes immediately focused on the girl he had been sleeping with and the child in her arms.

_He's afraid for them,_ Ty Lee noted with some shock, but the boy's concern warmed her big heart considerably. She watched as Zuko quickly extracted himself from the girl and went to stand up. However, the girl woke up as well and murmured something softly. Ty Lee watched with wonder as Zuko bent down and whispered something in the girl's ear before tenderly brushing his hand over her forehead. Once the girl had settled back down and fallen asleep once more, Zuko made his way to the window.

"What are you here for?" he hissed, and Ty Lee found that it took all of her strength to summon her trademark smile.

"Well, hello to you too," she replied cheerily, and Zuko scowled.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko repeated, and Ty Lee rolled her eyes.

"Azula sent me," she replied, and she could feel the temperature in the air around her heat up several degrees with Zuko's anger. "She apologizes for her miscalculations," Ty Lee whispered, and Zuko glowered.

"Her miscalculations almost cost Katara her life!" Zuko hissed, pointing to the girl that was fast asleep on his bed. Ty Lee remembered clearly that it was Zuko who had been hit by Azula's lightening, but the vehemence in the boy's voice let her know that he truly cared about the Water Tribe girl more than himself.

Ty Lee glanced down at the bandages that still adorned her hands and her smile dropped away. "It nearly cost all of us our lives," she reminded the boy, and Zuko paused, as though re-considering his anger.

"She wants me under her thumb again, doesn't she?" he muttered, and Ty Lee nodded slightly. "I suppose I don't have a choice," Zuko added bitterly, and Ty Lee smiled softly.

"None of us really do," she replied. She loved Azula like a sister, but this… this was what she hated. Zuko had found himself a family… a _life_ and Azula was stripping it away from him. Ty Lee knew the ultimatum- either Zuko's newfound family would be murdered ruthlessly, or he would lose them through his betrayal. He had chosen the lesser of the two evils, but that didn't make the choice any easier to bear.

And she? Did she really want to be an instrument in destroying this boy's life? Could she live with herself? Ty Lee thought briefly of all those she had killed in Azula's name and felt a heaviness come over her. She had already ruined so many others. What was one more in the grand scheme of things?

_When darkness consumes you, smile. Smile so that they will never know the hurt you feel inside. _Her mother's words came back to her, and so Ty Lee grinned with gusto that she didn't feel. "You know Azula," she added, making herself sound cheery although her heart was breaking within her for this poor boy before her.

"I know her," Zuko replied bitterly. "Tell her that I stand with her," he forced out, and Ty Lee could see by the anger flashing through his eyes just how much it upset him to say. "And remind her of our bargain. If even one of them gets hurt…" Zuko continued, and then trailed off.

Ty Lee followed his eyes to the girl that was sleeping, blissfully unaware of the intrigues and betrayals of the Fire Nation family. She nodded firmly. "I'll remind her," she agreed, and Zuko nodded briefly before stepping away from the window without another word.

Ty Lee watched with large gray eyes as Zuko climbed back into bed and buried his head against the Water Tribe girl's neck in anguish. The burden on Ty Lee's heart felt heavier than ever as she closed the window and crept into the night.

So she smiled.

* * *

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry it took me this long to update. Its just that I've had so much drama going on in my life lately and school has gotten insanely difficult... not to mention that the charity I work for had been consuming a lot of my time as well. But, I'm on a week long vacation, so hopefully I should get another chapter or two up before I get back to the stress of every day life.

Well... tell me what you think! Your reviews are what encourage me to keep this thing going, so... PLEASE review! Thanks!


	27. Choose

"I think we'd better have a doctor come and look at you," Sokka said while holding Suki's hair away from her face. He attempted to be the strong and loving boyfriend that the girl needed, but he could feel his knees begin to give out on him when the sound of the Kyoshi Warrior's retching reached his ears.

"Nothing's wrong with me," Suki choked out before gripping the bucket with renewed fervor, her heart pounding hard in her chest. If she had been suspicious before, she was completely certain now. She was most assuredly pregnant.

"What do you mean, nothing's wrong with you? Look at you!" Sokka exclaimed, and when Suki pulled her head up weakly and pinned a glare on him, Sokka quickly backpedaled. "I mean…you look fine…wonderful…absolutely beautiful!" He exclaimed, attempting to ignore the bit of fluid on the corner of his girlfriend's mouth. When Suki rolled her eyes and dropped her head again, Sokka winced.

"What I mean to say is that you're obviously sick! Something is wrong with you!"

"And it's your fault," Suki groaned out once the waved of nausea had subsided enough for her to breathe properly. It was only a moment later that she realized her mistake, and at that point she wanted to slap herself.

"My fault? What do you mean my fault?" Sokka demanded. "How, by Tui, could I make you sick like this?"

"You made got the fish from market last night, didn't you?" Suki said hastily, attempting to cover her tracks. "You must have gotten a bad…" Abruptly, Suki spun around and vomited into the bucket again. _Oh, little one… you aren't going to give me this much trouble for the rest of your life, are you?_

"No one else got sick. I'm not sick and we split a fish!" Sokka defended himself, and was tempted for a moment to release his hold on Suki's hair and let her soil herself. As quick as the thought came, it departed, and he instantly felt contrite.

"That's because you have a stomach made of steel," Suki mumbled, and Sokka frowned.

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

Suki groaned, although Sokka couldn't be certain as to whether the sound was one of pain or annoyance. The girl took a deep breath and then leaned away from the bucket, glancing at her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye. _Please have my common sense! You can make me sick every single morning while I'm carrying you so long as you don't have your father's idiocy. _

Suki took a deep breath and leaned into Sokka, pressing her hands over her still flat abdomen. She would only be able to hide the life growing inside her for so long. Would Sokka accept it as his own and make her an honorable woman? Or would he cast her and their child away?

Suki shook her head as if to shake the thoughts out of her mind. Now was not the time to think of her future. There was so much else to do…such as the kitchen floors and the windows…her eyes slid closed at the thought of the work that would consume her until she would lay down to bed, and she could already feel her muscles ache with exhaustion.

"Feeling any better?" Sokka's voice drew her eyes open again, and she shifted in his arms so that she could meet his eyes.

"A little," she lied, and then sighed softly before closing her eyes again. She felt wiped already, and she wondered if she would always tire so easily throughout the course of her pregnancy. By Kyoshi, she hoped not. She led an active lifestyle, and leading the life of an invalid was not appealing to her in the slightest.

"Here," Sokka said, dipping a cool cloth in water and then running it over her face. Suki blinked in surprise, but then smiled slightly while the boy fussed over her.

When he paused and gazed at her for a few moments, Suki squirmed, suddenly uncomfortable. She knew she looked like she had been dragged through hell and back, but did he have to be so obvious? "What's wrong?" she muttered, and her fingers twitched. _And please, please, baby, be more subtle than your father is. Have my-_

"You're beautiful," Sokka murmured, and Suki stifled the urge to laugh at the idiocy of his statement. He had just held her over a bucket while she vomited, her eyes were rid rimmed and puffy, and her skin was undoubtedly a shade or two paler than was healthy, yet he said "you're beautiful?" However, a look into his eyes made Suki realize that he wasn't lying.

Suki let out a soft, breathy sort of laugh and shook her head slightly. "Thanks," she replied instead of arguing with him. _But baby, I want you to have your Daddy's honesty and loyalty. Love as much and as strongly as he does, and be able to see past appearances as only he can do. _

The moment was shattered when Suki felt another wave of nausea overcome her, and she jerked out of Sokka's arms in order to make it to the bucket in time.

"Really, though. I think you need a doctor," Sokka insisted once again and Suki groaned.

"Just get Katara," she finally snapped at him, and Sokka frowned. It made sense, he had to admit. His sister was, in fact, a healer. However, he had a sneaking suspicion that the pair of females was keeping something from him. Because of that, a Katara might not tell him what was wrong. A doctor on the other hand, would have absolutely nothing to hide from him and would tell him exactly what the matter was.

Sokka mulled on the thought for a moment before sighing. His sister was first and foremost a healer, and she would never keep anything that jeopardized Suki's health from him. Even if the pair was hiding something, they wouldn't try to cover up an illness.

"Fine," Sokka replied, pulling the leather thong out of his hair and wrapping it around Suki's instead. "I'll be right back," he promised, and Suki managed to nod before the sound of her retching filled the air once more. Sokka grimaced and hurried out of the bathroom, eager to leave the noise behind him.

"She still feel like hell?" Toph's voice greeted him and Sokka suppressed a groan.

"What do you think?"

Toph shrugged. "I'm not surprised. It's what happens, after all," she replied slyly, and Sokka's eyes narrowed.

"When what happens?" he demanded, and Toph leaned back on her bed and scratched her stomach.

"And I thought I was blind," she muttered, and Sokka glared at her. "Shouldn't you be getting Sugar Queen?" she reminded the boy, and Sokka glowered but stalked out of the room nonetheless.

Why did he feel as though the whole world knew what was happening and he didn't? Was Suki really sick, or… what, by Tui, had Toph's comment meant? Was she trying to get under his skin? Did she want to drive him absolutely insane?

He fumed as he marched down the stairs and into the kitchen, and when he pushed the door open it slammed against the wall. Katara was standing with Nozomi in her arms, but that wasn't what Sokka noticed. His eyes zeroed in on the place where Zuko's hand rested on his little sister's shoulder, and his already dark mood worsened. His gaze snapped up to Zuko's, and he glared.

The Fire Nation boy took the threat rather well, and he casually removed his hand and took a step back. "You startled us, Sheng," the boy said smoothly, but Sokka's glare never wavered. "You should open the door more slowly next time."

"Suki's sick," Sokka said, although he continued to look at Zuko for a full moment more before he turned to his younger sister. "I need your help."

"What's wrong with her?" Katara asked, although she already had a pretty good idea of what Sokka was talking about.

"She's been throwing up all morning…she says she's fine and it's probably just something that she ate, but…"

"I'll come up and check on her," Katara replied, and then laid a reassuring hand on her brother's shoulder. "Just give me a few minutes, okay?"

Sokka gaped at the girl, and then swallowed. "But she's…"

"Sokka, is it life threatening?"

"Well…"

Katara planted her free hand on her hip and looked over her brother with a calculating, all too motherly gaze. "Sokka," she said again, the tone of her voice distinctly reminding him of when his mother had caught him lying when he had been younger.

"No," he finally admitted grudgingly, and Katara nodded her head once.

"Then she can wait a few minutes. I'll meet you up there, okay?"

Sokka heaved out a sigh. "Fine," he muttered before turning out of the kitchen and heading back up the stairs. Once he was gone, Katara turned to Zuko.

"Watch Nimi for me?" she asked, and Zuko nodded.

The little girl reached her arms out to the banished prince, a smile spread across her chubby face. "Da!" she exclaimed as she was transferred from Katara's arms into Zuko's, and Zuko grinned. Katara rolled her eyes and headed over to the herbal cabinets.

Quickly, she removed the herbs known to quiet the stomach and ease the strain of pregnancy on a woman's body. She felt Zuko watching her every move, and she looked over her shoulder at him with her eyebrows raised.

"You already know what's wrong with her?" he asked suspiciously, and Katara shrugged slightly.

She dumped the herbs into a little wooden bowl, where she set to grinding them to the point where they were small flakes. "I'm just making something to settle her stomach," she lied easily. Men had a tendency together, and while Zuko may not intentionally say something to her brother about Suki's condition, a situation could arise where the boy felt it was necessary to divulge the information.

With practiced ease, Katara set to brewing the tea with the herbs she had just ground. Zuko was silent, and only the sound of Nozomi's happy gurgling filled the air. Katara glanced at Zuko out of the corner of her eye and found that he was tickling the baby's belly, his face alight. It was a rare moment that Katara knew she wasn't supposed to observe, and she found that she had to forcibly restrain herself from going over to him and wrapping the boy in an embrace.

As though he could feel her gaze, Zuko's eyes snapped up from Nozomi and reached her own, and Katara was surprised to see the color that dusted his pale cheeks. Zuko smiled at her awkwardly, and Katara returned it with a warm one of her own. It was then that a look passed between them…when had they learned to speak with their eyes?...and Katara quickly turned away.

They had agreed that the relationship was over, after all. With easy grace, she removed the teapot from the stove and poured out a cup that she would carry up to Suki. She repressed the urge to sigh, and willed herself to be strong as she turned back around. Her back was straight and her eyes clear as she walked over to where Zuko held Nozomi.

"I'll be right back, sweetheart," Katara said softly, planting a kiss on the baby's forehead. Nozomi garbled out some sort of nonsense in return. Katara grinned, and then glanced up at Zuko. "Watch her carefully, okay?" she instructed, and Zuko rolled his eyes.

"I'm always careful with her!" he exclaimed, annoyance tinging his voice.

"I know," Katara conceded, and then sighed. "I just…never mind. I shouldn't be gone for too long," she said, and then hurriedly followed the path her brother had taken.

When she arrived at Sokka's room, Toph directed her to the bathroom. Katara nodded her thanks, and then quickly headed in. Suki looked miserable, and Sokka's face somehow held both frustration and worry. "Here Suki," Katara said by way of announcing herself, and held out the cup for Suki to take.

The couple looked over at her, surprise etched on their features for a moment, before Suki's face smoothed out into a soft smile. "Thanks," she replied softly and took the tea gratefully. She sipped slowly so as not to upset her stomach further, and then glanced back up at Katara.

The younger girl seemed to take the cue, and she turned to Sokka. "I need to spend a few minutes alone with her, okay?"

Sokka's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. "No. Not okay. Anything you say to her you can say to me too."

Katara rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to retort, but Suki beat her to it. "Sokka, its okay. Besides, I had some other things that I needed to talk to her about."

"What? You can't say it in front of me?" Sokka replied, his tone both offended and hurt.

Suki shrugged, and then looked at Katara with a conspiratorial glint in her eye. "Well…I seem to be having a problem with my monthly. You see, the bleeding…" she began, and paused and Sokka's sudden coughing fit.

"I'll go, I'll go!" Sokka exclaimed, and hurried out the door.

Suki grinned and turned back to Katara, who had a smile as wide as her own. Suddenly, Suki's smile dropped and she met Katara's eyes. "…is late by over three weeks."

Katara sighed softly and the smile fell from her face as she rubbed her eyes. "There was always the possibility," she replied softly, and Suki nodded.

"I just really hoped that I wasn't," Suki replied lowly, careful to keep her voice low to ensure that Sokka wouldn't be able to hear. "Now isn't exactly the best time for a baby."

A corner of Katara's lips crooked up into a slight smile. "Are you scared?"

Suki let out a shaky breath. "Terrified."

Katara nodded, and then gripped her friend's shoulder tightly. "When are you going to tell Sokka?" she asked after a moment, and Suki shrugged. "Suki…"

"Eventually," Suki replied noncommittally, and she felt Katara's gaze bore into her. "I want to wait until after the Eclipse," Suki added, and Katara cocked her head in question. "He'd never let me fight if he knew."

Katara closed her eyes, but then nodded as well. "Okay," she agreed. "But if you don't tell him before you go back to Kyoshi, I will."

It was at once a promise and a threat, and Suki nodded in recognition of that fact. Before Katara was her friend, she was Sokka's sister, and Suki had no doubt of who she would choose if it came between her and Sokka. It was Katara's duty to protect her brother, and Suki both admired and respected the girl's dedication. "Understood," she replied, and Katara smiled.

"Katara…" Suki began, but stopped herself as she mulled over whether or not to ask the question. Katara merely gazed back at her, letting Suki know that she wasn't under any pressure to continue unless she wanted to. "How do you think Sokka will react?" she asked finally, and Katara's whole face warmed.

"He'll be excited. Scared out of his mind at first, but after the initial shock he won't be able to contain himself. He'll probably have the names picked out before you do…he'll buy a boomerang for his little warrior, even though it won't be able to hold the darn thing for another four years," Katara paused, and her grin widened. "He'll fuss over you like you have no idea! He'll spend all his time making sure you eat and sleep properly, he's going to want to carry you around so that you don't get tired too easily..." Katara trailed off, then shrugged with a grin.

"I'm not sure whether to be excited or horrified," Suki replied dryly, and Katara laughed.

"I'd be a little bit of both," the younger replied, and Suki chuckled.

"So what about you? How's your…baby situation going?" Suki asked and Katara smiled.

"Nozomi's doing wonderfully."

"And Zuko?" Suki asked archly, and Katara sighed. With the expulsion of breath, Katara plopped down beside her friend.

"He makes a good dad."

Suki raised her brows. "And that's a bad thing?"

"Yes…and no."

Suki frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't understand."

Katara chewed on her lower lip. "It's complicated."

Suki leaned back and rested her forearms on her knees. "I've got time," she replied with a smile, patting the bucket. When she heard the liquid slosh, the smile morphed into a grimace.

Katara let out another sigh, and Suki's lips turned up into a crooked smile. "I…we…" Katara began, but halted, unsure of how to continue. She hadn't spoken of the matter with anyone besides Iroh, and even then, he had brought it up. He had witness her and his nephew's relationship, and it was only because he had their both interests at heart that he intervened. Suki was a different matter entirely.

"You're in love with him," Suki supplied, and Katara's eyes snapped to those of her friends, the color swiftly draining from her face.

"No I…I mean…" Katara stammered, and then her gaze dropped to her lap. "Is it that noticeable?" she asked miserably.

Suki smiled, and lightly touched her friend's shoulder in comfort. "Katara, you never strayed from his side when he was sick. When he's around, you're always beside him. And from the way that you blush whenever you're around him…" Suki trailed off, and the statement hung in the air.

"It _is_ obvious," Katara groaned, and buried her head in her hands.

"So you're in love. So what? I don't understand what the problem is."

Katara heaved out a breath and shook her head. "We're too different. We come from two different countries and…"

"So? Sokka and I come from two different countries. We love each other. And, yeah, we're in a bit of a tight spot right now, but we'll probably get through it. I don't see how it could be any different for you and Zuko."

"You don't have to worry about politics, Suki. Zuko is the heir to the Fire Nation throne. If he was just some peasant, there wouldn't be a problem, but he's going to rule the entire Fire Nation one day. And every Fire Lord thus far has been a fire bender. If we ever had children together, they wouldn't be able to bend at all because we have opposing elements!

"And his country would never accept me. He'd have to choose between me and his throne. If he chose me, there would be civil war, and then the Fire Nation's conquest might start all over again. Don't you see? There's so much we'd have to risk to be together… assassinations, intrigue, death…"

"Then risk it." Suki's stern, determined reply startled Katara into silence, and she stared at the older girl in shock.

"What?"

"Katara, love doesn't just happen every day. When you find it, you should hold onto it for dear life. Fight for it; don't cave in so easily. It'll be hard, yes, but if you sweat enough, you'll be able to be together."

"It isn't that simple," Katara interjected, and Suki shook her head emphatically.

"Yes, it is. If you let his people know that you're not going anywhere, they'll learn to accept you. If you fend off enough assassination attempts, the idiots will stop trying. And, the Fire Nation prides itself on being the most forward thinking country in the world. If they really are, they won't have a problem with half-breeds sitting on their throne. "

"But Uncle said…"

"He's from a different time, Katara. Listen to me, if you work at this until you sweat blood, you can have your happy ending."

Katara broke eye contact and shook her head. "I'm only one woman, Suki."

"But you're a warrior too. Aren't you?" When Katara's gaze jerked back up to her own, Suki smiled. "Sometimes, its even easy for us to forget that we're both women and warriors. It's hard to lead a double life, but we do. And the fact of the matter is this: a woman may not be able to conquer a hundred years worth of hatred and prejudice, but a warrior can."

'"You make it sound so simple," Katara replied with a humorless, breathy laugh.

"It is."

Katara looked away. "But what about my family? I only just got my father back, and I've had my fill of traveling. I'm homesick. I want to go back to the place I was born; I want to teach the girls of my village to water bend. I've fought my entire life, Suki. Once this war is over… I just want to be at peace."

Suki was silent for a moment. "You're not just fighting against your situation. You're fighting against yourself. The heart of the matter isn't whether or not you can fight for what you want. It's if you really want it. You have a choice, Katara. If choose to be with the man you love, you'll never have the peace that you would if you went back home. But if you decide to return to the Southern Water Tribe, you'll spend the rest of your life wondering what might have been."

Katara frowned, and then looked down at where her hands were twisting in her lap. "It's not easy."

"Love never is," Suki replied, and then sighed. "I know Sokka loves me, but I see him talking to the moon late at night, when he thinks I'm asleep. He loved Yue, and he loves her still. I believe he will always love her. I'm going to have to live with the knowledge that he loves another woman for the rest of my life."

"But he loves you too," Katara said, her frown deepening.

"Katara… Zuko loves you with all of his heart. Sokka loves me with only half of his. I love that boy, but it hurts to know that I'm not the only one that he's thinking of. I know that sometimes, he wishes that I was her." She paused, and then crossed her arms over her chest. "Once, when we made love, he called out her name instead of mine."

Katara's eyes widened, and she quickly rested her hand on Suki's arm in a gesture of comfort. "Oh, Suki, I had no idea…"

"It only happened that once," Suki hastened to say, but then bit on her lower lip and lowered her eyes. "But that one time was enough." She licked her lips, and then met her friend's gaze again. "I had to make a choice. I could either wait for someone who loved me with all of his heart, or I could be with the boy that I loved. I chose Sokka."

Katara frowned and glanced away again, deep in thought. "Was it as hard for you as it is for me?"

"Of course it was. But I made up my mind that I was going to fight for him with all I have. Maybe, if I try hard enough, he'll love me more than he loves her."

"Oh, Suki…"

"Katara, love is never what it's made out to be. There's no such thing as a fairy tale romance or a happily ever after. Love is about conquering pain and hardship; it's about a dedication to a choice that you made. It will never, ever be easy. I've learned that, Katara." Suki paused, and then smiled to soften her words. "Now you need to learn it too."

---------------------------------

Zuko struggled to brew all of the tea that his uncle had measured for him before he had left for one of his ridiculous Pai Cho meetings. The orders continued to pour in, and with Katara, Iroh, and Suki gone, Zuko was left alone with only the incredibly soft spoken and meek Ume as company.

The fire bender now understood why Ye Zhi had been so willing to hire the lot of them, regardless of how many extra mouths there were to feed. The young girl was positively insufferable. Twice now she had rushed back to the kitchen near tears because one of their customers had said something insulting, and he couldn't even count how many times her trembling had caused her to spill a cup of tea on their patrons.

"Ume!" he exclaimed in frustration when the girl hurried through the door, tears in her eyes. His exclamation seemed to make her even more upset, and her quaking increased. "Damnit," the boy cursed under his breath, and Nozomi looked up at him with wide, almond shaped eyes.

"Dam," she repeated, and Zuko groaned.

"No! No, honey, that's a bad word. Good little girls don't say bad words!"

"Dam! Dam! Da-da dam!"

"Yes, Dada said a bad word but he won't say it again, okay. So don't you say it!"

The little girl blinked once and then grinned. "Dam!"

_Merciful Agni, she's doing this on purpose! _"No don't…" Just then, a loud clattering caught his attention, and he whirled around to face Ume, who was on her knees beside broken crockery. "Damnit to hell!" he exclaimed before he could help himself, and at that point Ume began to sob out loud.

"Dam 'ell!" Came Nozomi's pleased repetition, and, as if on cue, several different tea kettles began hissing at once.

Zuko bit his tongue hard to refrain from letting out another expletive, certain that Agni would punish him should he do so.

"Ume, take care of this!" he exclaimed, gesturing to the state of disarray that the kitchen was in. "I'll deal with the customers." With that, he grabbed an apron off the rack and quickly tied it about his waist. "And watch her, will you?" he demanded, pointing to the little girl who sat on the floor. At Zuko's statement, Nozomi cocked her head and widened her eyes as if to say, 'Why would she have to watch me?'

When Zuko emerged, he found that the customers were much more respectable than the ones he'd had in Ba Seng Se, and he wondered at just how sensitive Ume's feelings really were. Zuko shook his head as though to clear his mind, and then threw himself into the task of waiting tables.

He was careful to hang his head slightly so that his scar would be less noticeable, and he spoke in soft tones to disguise his voice. Not that anyone here would recognize him; this particular tea house seemed to cater to the lower classes of the Fire Nation capital.

He found himself easily slipping back into the Lee persona, and for a moment it felt as though he were back in Ba Seng Se after all, that his identity was still a secret, and that he lived in the back room with no one but his uncle. He could clearly imagine Jin leaning against the door, her wild hair pulled back into an unruly mass and a grin on her face that he couldn't bring himself to return.

The illusion disappeared when a cloaked figure entered the tea shop and settled down at a table in a far corner. Zuko's suspicious nature kicked in, and he suddenly felt his throat go dry and his palms slick with sweat. He considered returning to the kitchen and sending Ume out to greet the newcomer, but the potential disaster made reconsider.

So, he stifled his anxiousness and headed over to the newcomer. "Do you need a menu, or do you already know what you're having?" he asked after giving the person- woman, Zuko noted when a very feminine hand emerged from the cloak- a slight bow.

"I don't think I'll be requiring anything today."

It was the voice that caught Zuko by surprise- the bored, almost monotone quality. "Mai?" he whispered, and he caught a flash of amusement in slanted gold eyes. Zuko's eyes narrowed at the slight nod of her head, and he had to force himself to maintain a calm demeanor. "What does she want now?" he hissed, and Mai stilled.

Slowly, she moved her hands up to her hood and she drew it down in order to have a proper conversation with the boy- no, man- in front of her. Mai licked her lips, and then took a breath so deep that Zuko could hear it. "I'm not here because your sister sent me," the girl replied. "I'm here to warn you."

"About what?" Zuko's tone had gone cold and impersonal, and Mai felt herself recoil.

"She's decided that she's striking early. All of the establishments that she was informed of are being raided at midday. That way, there will be no chance of failure when the Eclipse comes." Mai spoke in a low whisper, and she rattled off the information at a speed that made Zuko dizzy.

"But I only knew about this place," he replied, a panicked quality entering his voice.

"As she told you, she has other informants."

Zuko paused for a heartbeat, and in that time, he glanced out the window and up at the sky. Midday was swift approaching, and if what Mai said was true, he needed to get everyone out and fast. "She promised that she wouldn't harm us."

"But she will capture you."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Why are you telling me all this?" he demanded, and he had to struggle to keep his voice lowered to a whisper. "Aren't you supposed to be Azula's friend?"

Mai said nothing for several heartbeats, but then a slow, secretive smile played across her lips. "In war, you never know who your allies are." She paused then, and the smile faded away. "Take the avatar far away from here. He is your greatest bargaining chip. Return the day of the Eclipse, and capture him yourself. That way, Lord Ozai will be forced to recognize you and Azula will have no choice but to hold up her end of the bargain."

Zuko stared at Mai for a moment, his mouth agape. This girl, who was supposedly his enemy and his sister's ally, had helped him not once now, but twice. And both times, her own life had been at stake. "If she finds out that you did this…"

"She will have no proof. And my father is a very influential man, Zuko. The Fire Lord wouldn't kill me unless there was absolute certainty that it was I who warned you."

"Hence the disguise."

"Precisely."

Zuko swallowed hard. "Thank you, Mai."

Mai shrugged. "I was bored," she replied, but the glint in her eyes and the strength in her voice made him believe otherwise. At heart, she was on his side, and she was doing all that she could for him from behind enemy lines. "Leave now, Zuko. The troops may arrive early."

Zuko shook his head. "I can't leave until Uncle comes back," he replied. "He's been gone all morning, so…"

Mai shook her head slowly. "Don't bother. Azula tortured one of the members of the White Lotus Society into giving up their meeting place. He was young; he shouldn't have even been included in the society yet. Azula orchestrated a trap, and I'm afraid that General Iroh fell right into her hands. I only found out just this morning, otherwise I would have come to warn you in advance."

Zuko felt himself grow pale, and his hands fisted at his sides. "I have to go after him," he said harshly, and Mai quickly shook her head.

"No, Zuko. You can't. You have a family now, and you need to take care of them. You have the Avatar in your charge, and his fate will dictate that of the world. You need choose, Zuko. You can attempt to rescue Iroh and put all of their lives in jeopardy, or you can leave him with me and rescue those you've come to love. You can't have it both ways." At this, Mai paused, pulled the hood of her cloak up and turned away. "Please, Zuko, take the Avatar and go. It's your only chance."

That said, she stood and dropped a few coins on the table before walking out the front door. Zuko stared at the money for a moment- gold pieces- before quickly pocketing them. He felt his chest constrict tightly, and he understood for the first time what his uncle had felt when Azula had taken him prisoner. The all consuming fear that he would lose the last true member of his family, the primal urge to murder those who had harmed him, the desire to rescue him from a situation that could spell his death…

And it was at that precise moment that Zuko remembered that Uncle had put his own feelings aside to do what was best for the world. Zuko swallowed hard, but then nodded. For once, he would do what was right.

* * *

Wow, sorry about how long it took to update! But hey, it was a longer chapter, so that kind of makes up for it, right? Anyway, Happy Merrihanakwanzica everybody! Oh, and also a very happy birthday to Anji.

So, please review and tell me what you thought. Thanks so much!

SE

P.S. Check out my new deviantart account! I'm under the name of SE08 there. I haven't gotten much up as of yet, but hey, I'm just starting. Thanks so much!


	28. Family

"Katara!" Zuko exclaimed, slamming the door to the bathroom open. Katara scrambled to her feet, and met Suki's shocked glance with one of her own.

"Lee," she paused for effect, purposefully emphasizing the word. "What, by La, do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

Zuko ignored her, and instead grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the washroom. The girl sputtered out her protests and attempted to wrench her arm away, but Zuko's grip held fast.

"Lee!" Katara exclaimed, and she swung her gaze to her brother for help as she was pulled past him. "Lee!" she shouted again, wriggling in his grasp. His face was set in a stony mask, but she could read the panic and fear in his eyes.

"What the hell!" Sokka exclaimed, marching up to Zuko and gripping his shoulders tightly to stop him. Zuko, however, shrugged the boy off.

"Zuko!" Katara finally shouted in exasperation, her heart beginning to pound in her chest at the raw fear that the tenseness of his muscles conveyed. "Let me go!"

At the sound of his name, Zuko finally stopped. Instead of letting Katara go, however, he swung her around so that she was facing him and gripped both of her upper arms tight enough to bruise them. "We need to get out of here," he said, and Katara shook her head.

"No. We can't leave, we…"

"Azula's on her way! She knows where we are, and she's coming. We have to leave now!" A muscle was ticking in the boy's jaw, and Katara watched him swallow convulsively several times after his statement.

"That's insane. There's no way…" Sokka began, but Zuko swiftly cut him off.

"She has informants in our ranks. We don't have any time to spare. We need to pack light and get the hell out of here."

"He's telling the truth," Toph observed, and Katara's eyes widened.

"But Uncle's not with us! He's still at his meeting. We can't leave without him."

"The meeting was a set up. Uncle is already in custody." He paused for a second as he waited for the group assembled to digest that fact. "We need to get out of here. I'll explain everything once we're safe."

"We need to rescue Iroh," Aang said, his young voice level. Zuko shook his head.

"Zuko?" Katara asked, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You're leaving Iroh with your sister?" Her voice was trembling, uncertain and confused.

Zuko said nothing, but Katara had become so adept at reading his face over the past few months that she saw the struggle there. He took a deep, shaky breath before meeting her eyes, and the girl could clearly see how torn he was. Torn between his country, his Uncle, and the new family he had found…the family that she was a part of.

Katara swallowed hard and then nodded slightly. "Aang, you're a lot more important to the world than Iroh is. We have no choice," she said in order to spare Zuko.

"I don't want anybody else hurt because of me," the boy insisted. "I'm supposed to be here to help everybody, but everyone winds up getting in trouble!"

"Think of how many more people will be hurt if you don't go! You're the only way that we're ever going to stop this war, Aang. Can't you see? If you die, how many people do you think you'll take down with you? You may not be able to save Iroh, but you'll be able to help so many more," Katara insisted, and Aang fell silent.

The boy then heaved out a deep breath and looked around at all of the people assembled. "We have to pack light. We don't have enough time to take everything, and since we have to be quick on our feet, we can't be weighed down," he finally said by means of assent. Katara spared the boy a small smile, and then gently squeezed his shoulder in pride.

"Well, what are you guys waiting for?" Toph demanded, already slinging things into her pack. "Get a move on!" she exclaimed, and at her words the little group dispersed.

Zuko grasped Katara's hand as he rushed out her brother's room and into their own. "Hurry," was all he said when he released his hold of her and looked out the window. The sun was rising ever higher in the sky, and he knew it was only so long before midday was upon them.

"Where's Nimi?" Katara asked as she hurriedly stuffed some clothes and blankets into her pack.

"With the kitchen-girl. She'll watch her for us until we leave." His tone was hard, cold. His motions were quick and efficient, his back as straight as it had always been. It was as though he felt nothing, as though his uncle weren't about to be sentenced to death.

Katara nodded in response, and then brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "You don't have to pretend, you know," she said softly, glancing up at him from beneath her lashes.

Zuko didn't even miss a beat- just continued to fold and pack clothes and necessities as he had been before. "I'm not pretending," he replied, his voice giving Katara no reason to doubt his statement. Yet, she did. She had gotten to know him far too well for her to believe that he could allow his uncle to come to harm. He would never willingly allow anyone that he cared for to suffer.

"Uncle will be fine," Katara assured the boy against the whisper of her heart that told her the opposite was true. "They'll probably use him as a hostage, so they won't hurt him," she continued.

"For now," Zuko replied, snapping his bag closed and pulling it over his shoulders in a smooth, easy motion. "Are you finished yet?" he asked brusquely, and Katara closed her eyes before sighing.

"Yeah," she replied softly, pulling on her pack and rising from her bed. She paused though, noticing that Zuko's attention had become riveted on his Uncle's belongings. Being in the army for so many years had made even the scatter-brained Iroh relatively neat, and his clothes were folded in careful piles. The golden tea set that the Blue Spirit had "acquired" for him sat on the bedside table, its surface gleaming in the afternoon light. His prized possession- a black lacquer box filled with rare tea leaves- sat proudly upon the shelf above his bed.

"He'll never forgive you if you leave that behind, you know," she noted, and Zuko let out a breathy, mirthless chuckle. Without a word, he opened his pack and placed the box in with a reverence that betrayed just how much he loved his uncle.

"Come on," Zuko said softly, abruptly turning on his heel and hurrying out of the room. "Nimi's waiting."

Katara only nodded and went to follow him before something caught her eye. A corner of wood poked out from beneath Iroh's clothing, and Katara realized that the man had intended to hide it from them. With that realization came another: if it was important enough to hide, it was important enough to take along. Zuko was already out in the hall, so Katara hurried to retrieve the object.

Before stuffing it in her bag, she chanced to look at it. The eyes of a young man met hers, and they were so familiar that she felt her chest ache. Even in a painting, they were filled with Iroh's kindness and mirth. The man's cheekbones were as high and finely sculpted as Zuko's, his lips generous and full. Katara frowned for a moment, and then her eyes widened as she let out quick breath of air.

"_I had a son, once," Iroh said softly, patting the space beside him. Katara sat where he had indicated and waited for him to continue._

"_Lu Ten," he added, and Katara could hear the thickness of tears in his voice. "He was a good boy, patient and loving…a great sense of humor…" he chuckled softly, but the laugh sounded forced and strained. "You two would have gotten on well. He, like you, lost his mother at an early age, and never truly got over her death."_

_Katara saw a tear trickle down the old man's weathered cheek, and she reached for his hand and gripped it tightly between her own. She felt her own throat constrict at the pain in his voice._

"_When he died, I lost all hope; all purpose. I loved that boy…" his voice faltered, and he had to struggle to continue. Katara gripped his hand tighter, running her thumb over the back of it in an effort of comfort. "…so much that I thought I would die without him. You'll find out one day, when you have a child of your own," he continued, lightly chucking Katara's chin._

"_If it hadn't been for Zuko, I probably would have given up. But he needed me. He always has…" _

"Katara!" Zuko exclaimed, turning around and staring at her through the open doorway.

Katara blinked, and then shook her head quickly. "Sorry…I…I just forgot something," she explained hastily, stuffing the portrait in her bag. "Let's go get Nimi."

---------------------

Azula approached the tea house that her brother claimed to be staying at. Normally, she would have just cause to doubt him, but Ty Lee's report re-enforced his statement. _I'm sorry, Zuzu… but you are just too much of a liability to me. _

"You lied to him." Mai's voice was calm and even, her features composed. Azula, however, could feel the anger that the girl was filled with, and she was sure that Ty Lee would be able to see a red aura around the young woman if she looked hard enough.

"Just whose side are you on, Mai?" Azula asked, raising a brow and tapping long, tapered fingernails against each other. "I would think that you'd be happy that we're capturing the avatar."

"The outcome is not what I mind. It's the method," Mai insisted, although she was careful to keep her voice neutral.

"The ends justify the means, don't you think?" Azula replied loftily, and then turned to the pink clad acrobat. "Ty Lee?"

The bright eyed brunette was quiet for a moment too long, and when she saw Azula's lips curl downwards she grinned. "Of course, Azula!" she exclaimed brightly, and held back a sigh of relief when she saw Azula's mouth resume its natural smirk.

The pink clad girl and the dark robed one met each other's eyes for the briefest of moments, and then looked ahead. "Unfortunately, all reports have indicated that my brother has gotten too close to the Avatar and his little gang. I've even heard rumors of a baby," she added.

"With all due respect, Azula," Ty Lee interjected, and Azula whirled around to face her, her red lips pursed in question. "We promised him the safety of his friends. If we keep our end of the bargain, he _will _turn over the avatar. He won't resist! He wouldn't dare to, _especially _if there's a baby."

Azula crossed her arms over her chest and her haughty smirk once more spread across her lips. "Why receive what I can take?" she asked, and then chuckled slightly. "If we do it as we originally planned, we will go to war. We'll lose men, valuable assets… This way, we skip the war all together. I'll still give Zuko some credit, of course. He has his uses, after all. However, this way, he has no hold over me. I owe him nothing. He, though…he'll owe me quite a lot.

"What will you do with the rest of them?" Ty Lee inquired, and Azula waved off the question.

"Kill some, imprison the others. It doesn't really matter." Azula then paused. "I must say, Ty Lee, I'm surprised with you. Here I thought that Mai was the one with a soft spot for Zuzu. Looks like you have some competition, Mai."

Mai rolled her shoulders and then tossed her head slightly. "It'll make it more interesting," she replied easily, as though the little jibe didn't get to her.

Azula shook her head slightly and then smirked. In one fluid motion, she snapped her fingers and then pointed to the tea house with all the authority and self importance of a true tyrant. Soldiers immediately rushed out from their formation behind her and stormed the tea house. "Come, girls," she said after a heartbeat, and then marched forwards.

When she entered the tea shop, the patrons immediately scrambled out of their chairs and bowed to Azula. The young princess ignored them. Rather, she marched towards the kitchens where she knew her brother to be working. When she pushed open the door, however, it was a trembling little girl that met her gaze. Upon seeing her, the child's entire body quaked and she prostrated herself on the floor.

"Where is the avatar?" Azula demanded, but the girl made no move to answer. "Where is he?" Azula exclaimed, and kicked the girl in the side with her boot.

"Your highness," a little old man exclaimed, hurrying through the door. "It is truly an honor for you to…"

"Enough. Where are you keeping the avatar?"

The little man coughed once, and then shook his head rapidly. "The…the avatar? No! No one has been here beside my wife, Hana, and myself, as well as an old men and a group of children."

"Where are they?" Azula demanded, now struggling to keep her composure. She could feel the electricity buzzing around her fingers, and she clenched her fists in order to contain herself.

"The eldest boy, Lee, said that there was some sort of family emergency. Something about the old man's illness getting the best of him. They left in quite a hurry…said that they were going to the hospital," he explained, and Azula clenched her jaw.

"I doubt your sincerity," Azula replied, and the old man paled. "You were harboring Zuko, the banished prince of your nation, as well as the avatar. That is inexcusable, and only a fool wouldn't recognize them for what they were."

Azula turned to Ty Lee and Mai. "Take care of him," she said, and then looked down at the quivering girl in the floor. Some measure of pity must have gripped her cold heart, for she said, "Leave the girl," before striding from the room.

Ty Lee nodded, and then walked over to where the old man stood, the bounce noticeably missing from her step. "Sorry about this," she whispered so that Azula wouldn't hear, before swiftly knocking the man unconscious.

When the man crumbled to the floor, she met Mai's eyes. _You did the right thing_, she mouthed, and then smiled, betraying her knowledge of her friend's earlier activities.

Mai let one of her rare smiles blossom to her face in response.

-----------------------

"I'm tired," Sokka complained, and Zuko groaned. "We should have brought Appa," he repeated for the hundredth time, making Suki shake her head in a combination of embarrassment and disbelief.

"If we would have brought Appa, our cover would have been blown. We had to lay low, remember?" Aang attempted to reason with the boy, and Sokka scowled.

"Well, our cover was blown anyway!" he protested, making Aang lapse into silence. "My feet hurt," Sokka proclaimed, and then stopped long enough to peer inside his boot. "And I've got a blister!" he exclaimed indignantly. Suki groaned softly and quickly walked ahead of the young man.

"Can't you just take it like a man?" Zuko finally demanded, making Toph snicker. "We've all been walking for Agni knows how long. We're all tired, but none of us are complaining about it! Hell, the girls are handling this better than you are."

At this Sokka frowned and shook his head. "They don't count. None of them are really girls."

Aang and Zuko fell silent, and merely stared at the water tribe warrior. The girls in the group, however, cried out in tandem. "What is that supposed to mean?" Suki demanded, whirling around with her hands on her hips.

"Are you trying to tell us something?" Katara added.

"Was that an insult?" At Toph's exclamation, the earth beneath Sokka's feet began to tremble.

"Nice going," Aang whispered, casting a side-long glance at Sokka. The water tribe boy promptly winced, and then put on his most charming smile to attempt to smooth the girls' ruffled feathers.

"Hey, it was a compliment!" he exclaimed, and Toph rolled her eyes before stalking ahead. "Honestly…it means you're stronger than most women. Not as delicate."

"Not delicate? What the hell do you mean, 'not delicate?' " Suki demanded. "Are you trying to tell me I'm manly? Because if that's what you're trying to say, then next time that you feel like 'getting it on,' go see Zuko!" she shouted, making both boys pale considerably. Zuko made a noble effort to keep a straight face, but Sokka wound up in a coughing fit.

Aang looked between the two boys and sighed heavily. "Let me guess: not something I want to know about," he said, thinking back to all the other times when members of their little group had the same reaction. Zuko looked back at Aang, thin lipped, and nodded tightly.

While the boys had been stuttering, Katara had made her way over to Suki's side She stood beside her friend, awkwardly holding Nozomi in one arm while patting Suki's shoulder with the other. Suki's anger seemed to melt away, and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. "Do I look manly, Katara?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Of course not," Katara soothed the girl. "He's just being an idiot. You know Sokka," Katara hastened to add. _As if getting her pregnant weren't bad enough, he just has to go and open his big mouth. _"Go walk ahead with Toph while I deal with him."

Suki nodded, and did as Katara had bade her. The water tribe woman, however, whirled around to face her brother, murder in her eyes. Sokka flinched, and made a move to stand behind Zuko. The Fire Nation prince, however, scowled and took a step away from the water tribe boy, leaving Sokka defenseless to Katara's attack.

"What was that for? Huh? Just because you aren't manly enough to walk on your own you have to hurt Suki's feelings? You should be ashamed of yourself, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. Now I want you to go apologize to Suki right this instant!"

Sokka stared at his little sister, and gulped. For the briefest of moments, she ceased to be Katara. Rather, she was a different, older woman from a different time. A time when boomerangs were for playing pretend and not used as a method of murder. A time when girls had cooties, and bellies were always full. A time where the sun of a mother's love could chase away the shadows of even the darkest day.

"_Why did you destroy your sister's ice castle, Sokka?" _

_Sokka looked up at his mother miserably and kicked the snow underfoot with his foot. He mumbled something under his breath, and his mother crossed her arms over her chest. _

"_Speak up, Sokka."_

"_It was the enemy encampment. I had to destroy it, otherwise the Ice Princess' lies would spread around the village," the boy replied in his defense, his little brow furrowed. At his mother's quirked brow, Sokka hung his head although the frown remained. "It was all lumpy and ugly anyways. I don't see why she'd throw a tantrum."_

"_You should be ashamed of yourself, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe! Just because you think something's ugly doesn't mean that you can destroy it. Did you ever think about how much you would hurt your little sister's feelings?"_

"_No."_

"_Well, next time you should. Now I want you to go apologize to Katara." When Sokka made no move to do so, his mother's lips tightened into a thin line. Sokka knew that look, and he didn't like it one bit. Whenever she got that particular look on her face, he usually found himself in a heap of trouble. _

"You heard me, now march!" Sokka blinked, and shook his head quickly to separate memory from fact. This girl standing before him was not his mother, although she wore the same expression his mother had and she shared the same tone of voice.

_So that's why Dad wants you to stay behind,_ Sokka thought to himself. _You're so much like Mom… He lost her once, and couldn't bear it if he had to lose her again._ Sokka cleared his throat, and found that his little sister's angry gaze was still boring into him.  
"I'm going, I'm going," he exclaimed, forcing a scowl onto his face. He wasn't sure how he felt about equating Katara to their mother, but he did know one thing. He didn't want the girl to know what he was thinking… for both their sakes.

Aang stared at Katara for a moment before shaking his head slightly. "You're gonna make a pretty good mom," he observed, glancing down at Nozomi. "If you can get Sokka to do what you want, you can get pretty much anybody to behave."

Katara gave the boy a half frown, half smile. "Thanks…I think."

Aang shrugged in response and then gave his trademark crooked grin. "I'd better go catch up with Toph. I'll never hear the end of it if she's left alone with those two again," he excused himself, and Katara chuckled in response. She then sighed and shook her head. _Kids._

Nozomi began to fuss in her arms, and Katara sighed again.

"She okay?" Zuko asked, stepping close enough to Katara so that she could feel his breath on her neck, and then he bent down to look at the toddler. The worried frown that pinched his brow warmed Katara's weary heart. _A Fire Nation prince wrapped around a peasant baby's little finger. Who knew?_

"Just hungry," Katara replied, and Zuko's frown deepened.

"Should we stop somewhere?" he asked immediately, and Katara shook her head.

"We can't do that just yet. Azula must be looking for us by now."

"So we'll go off the main roads. There's farmland for miles around us; I bet if we wander far enough in them, we'll find a good hiding spot." When Katara hesitated, Zuko looked back down to Nozomi. "We're all tired, and we need our sleep. You especially. If you want to be of any good to Nimi, you've got to get more rest than you've been having lately."

Katara glanced up at him quickly. "How do you know I haven't been sleeping well?" she asked, and Zuko gave her a slight smile.

"We've shared a bed for a while now," he said in reply, and Katara pinked.

"I'm sorry if I wake you," she mumbled, and Zuko rested a large hand on her shoulder.

"I don't mind. I'm used it." He paused, and then squeezed her shoulder lightly. "But really, we should start looking for a place to camp. It's already getting dark."

Katara nodded, and then shifted a whimpering Nozomi into a more comfortable position. "Da!" the little girl cried out, and Katara chuckled mirthlessly. Zuko shook his head in response, struggling to hide the self satisfaction that was beginning to creep over him.

"Here," Katara said, handing the toddler to Zuko. Zuko, attempted to balance the child on his hip as he usually did, but she squirmed and arched her back. When Zuko shifted positions, her squirming intensified. Finally, he attempted to cradle her in his arms. For a moment, the little girl's body was still while she frantically rooted. Zuko grimaced at the action, and Katara managed a weary laugh. Finding nothing to latch onto, the little girl let out a pitiful wail.

"Oh, sweetheart, come to Mama," Katara crooned, quickly removing Nozomi from Zuko's arms and pulling the child into her embrace. When the little girl continued to cry, Katara rocked her softly. "Mama knows you're hungry, baby. Mama knows," Katara murmured, bending her head so that her cheek rested against Nozomi's. The touch calmed the child enough so that her cries turned back into hiccups and whimpers.

When Katara lifted her head and met Zuko's slightly amused glance, she frowned. "What is it?"

Zuko shook his head slightly, and then touched Nozomi's cheek with the pads of his fingertips. "It's just…weird. Like she's really ours, you know?" he said, and Katara sighed softly.

Zuko was right. He had, in effect, become the child's father and she her mother. "I know what you mean." _How is this going to end? I don't think I could ever give her up, but it wouldn't be fair to ask Zuko to either. Iroh was right. I should have given this more thought instead of diving into parenting head first. _

Katara shook her head to clear her mind, and then lightly bounced Nozomi. "We should catch up to the others and let them know what we're doing," she said, effectively steering the conversation away from their futures. Talk like that would inevitably lead to the topic of their relationship, which Katara was too confused to explore.

An hour later, Nozomi's shrill cries cut through shafts of wheat of the farmland. No matter how at many sweet words Katara whispered, the child's tears never ceased. "Zuko, we need to stop," Katara said at length, her voice full of worry. "This can't be good for her!"

Zuko immediately walked over to her side and touched Nozomi's cheek. The little girl instantly turned and suckled at his finger. A second later however, she forced it out of her mouth with her tongue and continued her wailing. Zuko shook his head slightly and then nodded. "I guess this is as good a place as any," he said, and Katara practically sighed with relief.

Sokka let out a whoop, tossed his bag to the ground, and then stretched. "I'm pooped," he said before promptly plopping to the ground. Suki rolled her eyes, but she swiftly joined the Water Tribe boy on the ground. Sokka propped himself up on one elbow and glanced over at her. "Aren't you getting a blanket?" he asked, and Suki shook her head.

"Too tired," she mumbled, snuggling closer against him and drifting off to sleep. Sokka chuckled, but soon followed suit.

When Katara turned from watching her older brother and her friend, she found the Aang was fast asleep on the ground, Toph encased in her rock tent, and Zuko laying out a sleeping roll. "The dirt too good for you?" she teased lightly, bending to dig through her bag for food.

"Maybe," Zuko conceded, a small smile playing across his lips. "I'll take her," he said, nodding to the still screaming Nozomi. Katara handed the child to him gratefully, and returned to her bag.

She quickly filled a bowl with dry rice and water, and then handed it to Zuko. "Heat this for me," she instructed, and Zuko shifted so that he had a free arm to do so. Katara nodded her thanks, took the bowl back, and then quickly mashed the rice into a mush.

With that, she knelt back down and hurriedly spooned the mush into Nozomi's mouth. The little girl paused for a moment, sniffed once, and then gulped it down. Katara smiled slightly when the girl's cries transforms into the soft noises unique to young children.

Moments later, the little girl was fast asleep in Zuko's arms. Zuko looked up and met Katara's eyes, making her smile widen a fraction. "You make a good dad," she said softly, and before she knew what was happening, Zuko had leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft, gentle kiss.

"You're a good mom," he replied before she could protest, and then placed the sleeping child in Katara's arms. "We should get some sleep," he said, and then promptly laid down. Katara stared at him for an instant, chuckled under her breath, and went to stand.

Before she had the chance to, Zuko's hand wrapped itself around her arm. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked, and when Katara turned to him in confusion, he shook his head. "You don't honestly think I laid out these blankets for myself, do you?"

Katara opened her mouth, but whatever it was she was going to say went unsaid. A heartbeat later, she lay curled against Zuko's body, Nozomi cradled in the curve of her own. And the last thought on her mind as she drifted of was this: _We really are a family._

* * *

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. Life's a bummer, and a constant source for writer's block. Anyways, I love and appreciate your thoughts and suggestions, so please review! Thanks!


	29. A Wedding

Sokka squinted his eyes against the glare of the sun, and then promptly squeezed them closed again. Suki lay pressed close against his side, and from the way she was laying beside him he could clearly feel the extra weight that she had put on over the past few months. Not that he minded, of course. The women of the Water Tribe were generally more voluptuous than those of the other nations, and so Sokka had always preferred girls with a beat of meat on their bones. It was the fact that Suki had put it on so quickly that disturbed him. Perhaps the stress was getting to her…

A sharp prod to the side made Sokka's eyes snap open again. "Quit it, Kata," he grumbled, rolling over so that his head was hidden with the crook of his arm. Another prod made him jerk upwards, a scowl painting his features. "Katara! If you don't stop that right now, I'll…" the words died in his throat when he managed to pry his eyes open and glance upwards.

It was not his sister that stood by his side after all. Rather, it was a craggy faced man that towered over him, brandishing a rake as one would a sword. Sokka swallowed hard as he attempted to shake off the fogginess of sleep and deal with the situation that had arisen, but he was still groggy when the man began to speak.

"What, by Agni, do you think you're doing in my fields?" the man's voice was surprisingly sophisticated for a farmer, and it was reminiscent of the peculiar accent that Zuko's voice carried. The gruff, cultured voice carried the hard edge of danger, however, and his tone kept Sokka from thinking too hard.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sokka saw Zuko stir from his sleep and push himself upwards. It took all of one second for the banished prince to assess the situation, and Sokka felt his stomach flip when he saw Zuko's muscles tense and his mouth press into a hard line. Nevertheless, the Water Tribe warrior felt somewhat relieved that he was no longer alone with the farmer.

"We're traveling," came Sokka's somewhat lame response.

"So far from the main road?" the farmer replied archly, making both Sokka and Zuko cringe. "You're in trouble." It was a statement, not a question, and Sokka found himself at a loss for words. "The only question is: who are you hiding from?"

"We'd better be on our way." Zuko's voice was harder than Sokka had heard it in a long time, and that fact alone made the hair rise on his arms. At the older boy's voice, the farmer quickly jerked his gaze over to where Zuko sat. There was silence for several heartbeats as the two examined each other; Zuko's face was cold and calculating, the farmer's wary.

"You," the farmer said after a time, his gaze lingering on Zuko's scar. Zuko's jaw squared in defiance and his shoulders straightened with all the haughtiness of a royal. The farmer let out a deep breath, and he closed his eyes briefly. "I don't want to know anything," the man said slowly, his gaze boring into Zuko's. "The less we know about each other, the better."

Sokka suddenly got the eerie feeling that the boy and the man had known each other at one point and time, and for the briefest of moments, he wondered as to what else the boy could have been hiding. "Agreed," Zuko replied, snapping Sokka's attention back to the moment.

The faintest trace of a smile crossed the farmer's hard lips at the response, and then he looked down to the rest of the children sleeping around the two boys. "Head back to the house once you've woken everyone," he said, and Zuko's eyes narrowed.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" Zuko demanded, his voice bearing a hard and dangerous edge. Before he could blink, the farmer through dug through his belt and then tossed something towards the boy. Zuko caught it one handed, his gaze still locked with that of the farmer's.

"If your uncle taught you anything, you'll understand." With those cryptic words, the farmer turned on his heel and disappeared into the shoots of wheat that surrounded them.

Zuko frowned at the man's retreating back, and then looked down to what the farmer had throne at him. He held a White Lotus chip in his hand.

-------------------------------

"Don't make me hurt you, Uncle." Iroh didn't even bother to glance up from where he sat in the filthy cell to where he knew his niece stood. "Family shouldn't need to resort to violence," the girl continued, and Iroh had to hold back a scoff. It was well known that the descendants of Agni were frequently guilty of any and all forms of murder…patricide, fratricide… Iroh's own father had murdered his uncle in order to claim inheritance.

His silence must have grated on the girl's nerves, for the next time she spoke her voice wasn't quite as smug as it had been earlier. "I'm going to give you one last chance. Where is Zuko?"

In truth, Iroh hadn't the faintest idea. When he had been captured four days ago, Iroh had been nearly incapacitated with fear for his nephew and the other children. He had been nearly certain that his niece had captured them and that the war would now amount to nothing. When the princess had entered his cell, her painted lips curled downwards and her eyes alight with anger, however, a spark of hope had flared within him.

With every day that she returned, the spark fanned into a larger and greater flame. So long as she appeared, the avatar was safe, hence the war still had a prospect of success.

A chuckle from the girl caused Iroh's mind to return to his surroundings. "I can't believe you're so loyal to him after…" she trailed off, and despite himself, Iroh glanced upwards. The smirk he saw painted across his niece's pretty features was enough to make his gut clench with fear. "Oh, that's right. You don't know, do you?" Her tone was snide, haughty, and strongly resembled that of her father's.

Iroh said nothing in response, but he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. She was a manipulative little witch, for sure, but there was nearly always the smallest grain of truth woven within her lies. If this was more than a mere ploy, what exactly did she know that he didn't? What, by Agni, could Zuko have done?

"You see, Uncle, about a month ago Zuko and I had a little…run in. I'm sure you remember." There it was again, that superior smugness that Ozai had always spoken with. The girl paused for a moment, as though gauging her uncle's reaction. "What you don't know is that Zuko didn't escape. I let him go." Another long pause and her smirk widened.

"But more importantly: he rejoined our father." She watched as Iroh's entire body stiffened, and she let out a small laugh. "What's more, he's been reporting to me for the past month, giving me your locations, your battle strategies. Don't look at me that way; I'm not lying this time. How else would I know that you've sneaked Earth Kingdom soldiers disguised as Fire Nation colonials into our country? That the plan is for the so-called civilians to rise up against us the day of the Eclipse to distract our Navy from the larger force coming across the waters?"

Iroh's palms began to sweat, and he swallowed hard. That was all privileged information. There was no way that she could know unless… "If this were true, you wouldn't be so desperate to find Zuko," he replied smoothly, hiding his fear with bravado.

Azula paused and a finger twitched, alerting Iroh to the fact that he had struck a nerve. One corner of his mouth lifted upwards slightly at the small victory, but he quickly smothered it with a forced cough. In an instant, however, Azula had regained her composure, and met her Uncle's steady gaze with one of her own.

"Wrong. I may have... given Zuko a little too much freedom in our negotiations. If it is he who delivers the Avatar to Father, he will get all the glory. If it is I…well… I'm sure you understand."

Iroh said nothing, choosing instead to school his features while his mind reeled. The girl frowned deeply at his apparent lack of interest, and then she shrugged. "Have it your way, Uncle. Keep his whereabouts a secret." Iroh stared at Azula stonily as she turned away from him and began to walk away from his cell. "Know this though: if I am the one to find him, Zuko will suffer."

Iroh swallowed convulsively, although he was careful to show no indication of his discomfort. Years of living amongst the vipers of the Fire Nation court had taught him well how to create and hold a façade, so such a feat was relatively easy for him. Once his niece had ascended the steps that led out of the dungeon, however, Iroh sank back against the wall.

Zuko…his _Zuko_ would consider participating in such a traitorous act? Iroh had thought that he had taught the boy what was right and good, he had thought that his nephew had changed. Over the past few months, Iroh had seen the stony wall that his nephew had built around himself crumble into dust; had watched the young man fall in love for the very first time, had observed Zuko's sudden embrace of the role of a father. The image that he had in his head of his nephew simply didn't agree with what Azula had told him.

How could it be possible that a boy with a kind and gentle heart could be the one that planned to murder the children who had welcomed him into their family? Iroh buried his head in his hands even as the answer came to mind. The boy had the blood of both Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin flowing through his veins. Such good…mixed with so much evil. The combination was a fatal one, Iroh knew. To be constantly at war with yourself…

Iroh shook his head to clear his mind. Perhaps Zuko had done the unthinkable; perhaps the boy had defected to his father. The question was whether he was guilty or innocent, not the complicated reasons behind the boy's motives. Iroh racked his brain to find support of Azula's claims, and the more he thought, the more the color drained from his face.

There was aloofness when he had "escaped" from his sister's clutches, the sudden strain on his relationships with everyone in their little band. There was that strange, horrified, almost betrayed look on his face when Azula had opened fire on their ship; his pleading with his sister while ravaged with fever.

The more Iroh thought, the more all of the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Despite himself, Iroh wanted fall into denial; to believe that the boy he loved as his son was innocent; to believe that he hadn't spent the past four years of his life instilling morals and kindness into the heart of Ozai's son, only for the boy to turn against all of his teachings.

_I promised Ursa I would watch over him…I promised her that I wouldn't let Zuko turn into his father…_ Iroh suppressed a groan when he thought of the soft eyed woman whom he had lost to his younger brother, and of the vows that he had sworn to her.

_I failed…Ursa…I'm so sorry…_

--------------------------------

Zuko met Lieutenant Jee's eyes for what must have been the hundredth time that day, and as always, he felt a chill run up his spine. This man had served under him for the past three years…so what was he doing here, on a farm in a small village just outside the capital? And if he were truly a member of the White Lotus Society, why hadn't he been captured as well?

He felt Katara lay a comforting hand on his knee beneath the rough hewn kitchen table, but he didn't relax as he once would have. He didn't remove his gaze from Jee's movements, his mind whirling. They had agreed that neither would ask any questions; it would be far better not to know than to be placed in a position where they might learn too much about each other.

However, the gears in his mind continued to whirl. The last time he had seen Jee, the man had been on his way to fight against the Northern Water tribe. When the man hadn't resurfaced, Zuko had assumed that his breath had returned to Agni in the midst of battle. Seeing him alive and well, in an obscure village not three days from the Fire Nation capitol jarred Zuko's senses.

"You're staring," Katara admonished under her breath, and Zuko gave a slight nod of his head to indicate that he had understood her. "We can trust him, Zuko... Uncle himself told us that anyone in the White Lotus Society is on our side." Zuko merely nodded again, and Katara narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with you?" she demanded, her voice low enough so that the others wouldn't be able to hear her.

Zuko shook his head slowly, choosing instead to lift a seed from a pomegranate to his lips. He chewed on it slowly, his mind still mulling over the situation that they were now in. Mai had mentioned in passing a member of the White Lotus Society who had given up the identities as well as the schedules of the other White Lotus members.

What if Azula had installed a plant there, before the raid? What if Jee, was, in fact, being used by his sister? What if everything they said and did was being reported to the palace? What if Azula was already on her way? What if…

"Breathe, Zuko," Katara hissed, and Zuko started.

"Sorry," he mumbled, and Katara frowned.

"Really, Zuko. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he replied, and when he saw Katara's face begin to twitch he hastily changed his answer. "I'm just…stressed."

Katara's eyes narrowed, but then she heaved out a sigh. If he didn't want to speak to her, far be it from her to force anything out of him. Before long, her attention was drawn away from Zuko when Nozomi's chubby little hand lurched forwards and gripped the juicy red pomegranate seeds from her mother's plate.

Katara quickly pried the little girl's hand open and wiped the juice off before it had a chance to stain the child's skin. "No, Nimi," she scolded gently, and Nozomi frowned. The little girl reached for the seeds again, but Katara lightly slapped her wrists. "No," she repeated, more firmly this time.

Nozomi frowned and blabbered out nonsense in response, and Katara quirked an eyebrow. "Do you want a spanking, young lady?" she demanded.

"No!" Nozomi exclaimed, pouting. The little girl smacked her hands down on the table for emphasis, and Katara rolled her eyes.

"Sit like a nice girl," Katara instructed the child, and Zuko groaned.

"Let her have the damn seeds," he grumbled, and Katara narrowed her eyes.

"Watch your language," she said almost offhandedly, and Zuko sighed. "And I'm not going to let her make a mess of herself."

"Katara…"

"I'm not raising a heathen, Zuko, and that's final."

Zuko grimaced, and turned his attention back to Jee. This time, the man met and held his gaze for a full heartbeat before turning away. Without warning, Zuko stood quickly and left the small kitchen. The air seemed stifling, what with his confusion over Jee's true intentions.

"Zuko!" Katara called after him, but the boy didn't even turn around. The girl heaved out a sigh and went to stand, but stopped when she felt her brother place his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll go," he said. Katara paused for a moment, sighed, and then finally ducked her head in assent.

With that, Sokka turned on his heel and followed the banished Prince out the door and into the field. He found the boy a few meters away from the house, his forearms resting on his knees as he stared out into the distance. Without a word, Sokka sat beside Zuko, unconsciously imitating the older boy's position.

Some time passed, in which no words were spoken. It was a comfortable silence, though, one of two boys on the verge of becoming men; of two entirely different people who were truly the same. Finally, Sokka spoke. "You changed your mind," he observed. "You don't think that we can trust him."

Zuko said nothing in response. Sokka heaved out a deep sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face. "If it were just the two of us, we could take off into the night, and not leave a trace," Sokka said with a slight shake of his head. "But we have women and kids with us. We can't leave just like that."

"They're perfectly capable of taking care of themselves," Zuko muttered half-heartedly, and Sokka shook his head.

"Once, maybe. But now Katara has a baby, so she won't be able to fight like she used to. All she's going to think about on the road is whether or not Nimi's going to be okay. Suki…well, Suki's been different lately. She gets tired so easily… and Toph and Aang- they're able to take care of themselves, sure, but they're still kids."

Zuko took a breath, and then nodded in agreement.

Sokka paused for a moment, and then turned towards Zuko again. "Are you sure this guy's trouble? Do you have any proof?" he said, and Zuko shrugged.

"None. I'm just…paranoid. Maybe more so now than ever before."

"Because of my sister," Sokka observed, and Zuko turned to Sokka with an expression of part nervousness, part surprise, and part resignation. Sokka chuckled slightly, and then shook his head. "I'm not as stupid as you think I am," he said, and then it was Zuko's turn to chuckle.

"I've known that for a while now," the boy replied.

Sokka threw the other boy a half smile, and then silence reigned once more. "We never did finish our conversation, did we?" he asked after several heartbeats, and Zuko frowned.

"Which one?"

"When we were on the boat, before your sister attacked us," Sokka reminded the boy.

Zuko shrugged slightly, the memory coming back to him. It had been the first, and thankfully only, conversation that the two boys had about Katara.

"Back then, we agreed that my sister was off limits," Sokka said, and Zuko resisted the urge to cringe. "You haven't changed your mind, have you?" he asked, and Zuko remained silent.

Instead of speaking, he met Sokka's steady gaze, and for once, he left his expression completely unguarded. At seeing the answer there, Sokka sighed harshly. "I thought as much," he replied, closing his eyes. "You haven't taken her virtue yet, have you?" he asked, his voice choked.

Zuko coughed and despite himself, a flush rushed up to his cheeks. "N-No," he replied quickly. The flush settled, and then he thought over Sokka's question. "What do you mean, _yet_?" he asked, and Sokka shrugged.

"The way I see it, it's only a matter of time. You're already sharing a kid, so…" The Water Tribe Warrior trailed off, and then ran a hand over his face again.

"I'd never do anything she didn't want me to," Zuko attempted to assure Sokka, but his words didn't seem to help at all.

"That's what I'm afraid of," the boy grumbled, and Zuko frowned deeply. "Zuko…" Sokka trailed off again, and then the boy took a deep breath. "Please, just tell me. Can you see any way for you and Katara to be together in the future?"

Zuko frowned at the unexpected question. Should he become the Fire Lord, surely there would be a way of bullying his advisors into allowing him to take the girl to wife. But if he didn't… If, Agni forbid, he were somehow forced into turning the Avatar over to his father, he would be at his family's mercy. And he was certain that neither his father nor his sister would take kindly to having a progeny of half breeds. "If we win," Zuko finally said after a time, "I'll make it happen," he said, and Sokka frowned. "If we don't…well… That's not really a problem, is it?"

The Water Tribe boy nodded slightly, and then cleared his throat. "The Eclipse is only a few days away," Sokka observed, allowing the subject to change. "What are we going to do?"

"Continue with the plan. Hopefully, there will be enough of our people left that are doing the same thing."

"And if there aren't?" Sokka asked, feeling dread creep through his veins.

"Then we'll die with honor." The statement was spoken with such conviction and resolve that Sokka found he couldn't object.

"What about Suki and Katara?" he couldn't help but ask, and Zuko swallowed.

"I'm going to do everything I can to protect your sister; you should do the same for Suki." He paused, and then continued, "The Fire Nation army will not harm healers; it goes against our code of honor. If we keep the girls in the healing tents, they'll be safe."

"You know they'll never agree to that."

Zuko's lips curved upwards in a soft, mirthless smile. "I know." He then pushed himself up from his sitting position, and headed back towards the house. "We need to start going over the battle strategies again," he said. "I'm going to tell everyone to gather in the barn."

Sokka watched the boy walk away, and he swallowed hard. "Zuko!" he called after a heartbeat of question. The Fire Nation boy turned around, a brow quirked. "Before you go… Are you in love with my sister?"

Sokka watched with a combination of relief and terror as a smile curved its way across the Fire Nation prince's chiseled features. The boy nodded his head once in response, and Sokka felt his mouth go dry. The boy then turned on his heel and made his way back to the house, leaving Sokka alone in the field with a thousand questions in his mind and a bittersweet ache in his heart.

-----------------------------

Suki and Katara sat cross legged in a small attic room that Jee had given them. "You need to tell him, Suki," Katara said, glancing pointedly downwards at the Kyoshi warrior's stomach.

"And you need to talk to Zuko."

Katara sighed and shook her head. "That's not as important. Suki, you're pregnant with the man's child! We're going to war in just a few days; doesn't he deserve to know before then? What if something happens, Suki? What if he dies? You'd spend the rest of your life regretting the fact that you never told him about his baby!"

"And what about you? You're already sharing a child with Zuko. Doesn't he deserve to know how you feel about him? What if he dies?" Suki replied quickly, and Katara glanced down at her lap.

"Let's make a deal, then. You tell Sokka tonight and… and I'll talk with Zuko," Katara finally proposed.

"Tonight?" Suki asked incredulously.

"Tonight."

Suki took a shaking breath, and then gripped Katara's hands. "I'm terrified," she admitted quietly, feeling more woman than warrior in that moment than she ever had before.

Katara's lips curved upwards slightly, and she squeezed the girl's hands in return. "So am I."

A knock came at the door, and Katara quickly pulled her robe closed about her shoulders. "Come in," she called, and her brother peeked his head around the door.

"I was just checking on you two," he said by means of explanation, but his worried eyes lingered on Suki. The girl flushed slightly, and quickly turned to her friend, her eyes wide. Katara smiled in turn, patted Suki's hand, and rose from her position on the floor.

"Zuko's probably sick of Nimi by now; I should probably go relieve him," she said quickly, and hurried from the room, leaving her brother and her friend alone.

There, an awkward silence reigned, and the space between the pair remained uncrossed. Finally, Suki patted the space beside her, her stomach doing somersaults. Or perhaps it was the baby fluttering within her; perhaps it knew that its father was about to learn of its existence.

Sokka frowned as he sat in the space indicated, and the said frown deepened when he noticed just how pale and scared his girlfriend appeared. "Suki?" he asked softly, and the girl started.

"Sokka…I…" she paused, and swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I…I don't know how to tell you this…" she began and then trailed off. She recalled her training: strike to wound, withdraw, go in for the kill. Somehow, she doubted that would help her at all when it came to this conversation.

She licked her lips, and then grabbed the boy's hand. Swallowing convulsively, she brought it to rest over her lower belly, and she swallowed hard. "Sokka…you're going to be a father," she finally managed to say, and then she stopped breathing.

Sokka stared down at where his hand had been placed, his face devoid of emotion. A baby… he found that his mind refused to wrap around the concept, and he swallowed convulsively. "A father?" he asked, his voice trembling in a decidedly unmanly fashion. However, he couldn't bring himself to care. Somehow, masculinity seemed like such a small importance when the woman he sat beside carried his child within her.

A baby… that would mean so many changes…so many problems…so much wonder! Sokka pulled his hand away from Suki's stomach and instead wrapped his arms around her body as he kissed her roughly. She was crying, he realized, but then again, so was he.

Just outside the door, Katara leaned against the wall, a slight smile on her face. Suki had worried for nothing, just as Katara always knew she had. The girl heaved out a sigh, and then pushed herself away from the wall. She and Suki had made a bargain, after all.

Still, the thought of speaking to Zuko set her stomach to churning and her throat to closing. Since they had come to their agreement, they had been relatively comfortable around each other. And not until that night in the field had Zuko ever attempted to invade her privacy. A part of her was terrified that if the truth were revealed, their relationship would be irrevocably changed.

Still, a promise was a promise. So it was that Katara squared her shoulders, set her jaw, and made her way to the room where Zuko was staying. Steeling herself, she pushed the door open, and started when Zuko put a finger over his lips. She then looked down to where Nimi was curled against his chest, sleeping peacefully.

Her lips curved up into a maternal smile, and she momentarily forgot what she had come to tell Zuko. Instead, she walked forwards and gathered the child into her arms, pressing a kiss against the little girl's soft forehead. The little girl whimpered and mumbled 'mama,' which warmed Katara's heart considerably.

She then brought the little girl over to Zuko's bedroll and laid Nozomi down gently. Before rising from her crouched position, Katara kissed the child's cheek and brushed her hand over the length of Nozomi's hair. With that, she turned to face Zuko, and the smile vanished.

"We need to talk," she said, soft enough so as not to wake Nozomi but firmly enough for Zuko to understand the gravity of the situation.

"I thought we'd already done this," the boy said pointedly, rising from where he sat and turning away from the girl abruptly.

"We did," Katara conceded softly. "But I talked with Suki a little while ago, and she told me something: I have a choice. I can choose to be with you, or with my family." She paused, and let out a sigh.

"The problem is, Zuko, I've never really done anything selfish. My whole life up to this point has revolved around my family, so when I finally get the chance to do something for myself…"

"You're rambling," Zuko replied dryly, and Katara flushed slightly.

"The thing is, you're my family now too. And because you're family, it's my responsibility to make sure that you're not hurt. So… once this is all over, we…we can't…"

"For someone who doesn't want to hurt me you're doing an awful lot of damage," Zuko muttered through gritted teeth.

"There would be more damage in the long run if I didn't do this. One day soon, you'll forget all about me, and…"

"Agni, Katara, do you think I'm so shallow?" Zuko demanded hoarsely, whirling around and gripping the girl's shoulders tightly. He shook her once, as though to shake some sense into her.

"Do you honestly think that I'd forget about you so easily?"

"Damnit, Zuko, I'm doing this for your own good!" Katara finally exclaimed. "I we win this war, you're going to be at the mercy of the nobles and your advisors. Uncle's alluded to how difficult it is to survive in the Fire Nation court… Your advisors would never condone our marriage, and if we went through with it anyway, you'll probably be usurped!"

By this point tears were streaming down Katara's cheeks, and she forgot about the fact that her daughter was sleeping not a few feet away. "I'm doing this because I love you, Zuko, and I don't want…"

"Marry me!" Zuko blurted, and Katara paused mid-sentence, her eyes gone wide. She stood in silence for several moments, her mouth working but no words coming out. However, Zuko could read her face like a book. He watched as her expression changed from one of shock to confusion, and then back to shock again.

"You…I…_What?_" she finally stuttered, her eyes wider than Zuko had ever seen them.

"If we get married now, before I take over the Fire Nation, no one will be able to object! It'll be too late!" the boy exclaimed, the ideas rushing to him even as he spoke.

"Zuko, the eclipse is only in a few days," Katara reminded the boy, her voice shaking. "We…I mean…I don't…"

"Do you want to be with me?" Zuko demanded, and Katara fell silent.

"Of course…"

"Honestly, Katara, I don't think that I'd be able to survive without you. If I lost you, I'd…" Zuko cut himself off and shook his head. "I need to know: do you feel the same way about me, or is this all just some game to you?" his voice was harsher than he'd intended, but his blood was pumping through his veins and he had no control over what he said or how he said it.

"Of course not!" Katara exclaimed indignantly, and then she swallowed hard. "I do feel the same way about you Zuko, honest to La, I do. But…I don't think that this is the right way. Uncle's not here; my father isn't here…"

"We can have the ceremony all over again later. But for now, if we're married by a Fire Nation sage, no one will be able to force us apart," Zuko exclaimed, and Katara swallowed.

It would be far too impetuous and highly irresponsible for her to agree to the boy's plan. She could practically hear Iroh warning her of the future consequences. A commitment of marriage was meant for a lifetime, and a marriage born of haste...

But his gold eyes were pleading with her, begging her to choose him. He had let his guard down entirely, and she saw desperation reflected there, mingled with vulnerability and love. And, more importantly, she wanted this. It was an abrupt realization, but a realization all the same. She wanted to spend the rest of her life getting to know her one time enemy and very best friend.

Her mouth went dry, and when she went to speak, she couldn't form the words. She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath, steadying herself. She licked her lips and then nodded. "O-Okay," she breathed tremulously.

Zuko blinked and stood stock still, as though he had been expecting for her to say no. When it finally sunk in, however, the widest grin Katara had ever seen stretched across the boy's features. With a whoop, he grabbed her hips and spun her around, making her laugh in an odd combination off surprise, joy, and amusement. He had hardly set her down before he kissed her, and for the first time in a long time, Katara didn't pull away. Rather, she returned both his embrace and his kiss.

Zuko's head swam when he pulled away, and he had to take a couple of deep breaths before he could manage to speak. Katara, however, somehow managed to speak for him. "My brother," she breathed. "We need to tell my brother."

Sokka took the news better than either of them had anticipated. Perhaps he recognized the desperation in their eyes, or maybe, he merely understood. Instead of the eruption that Katara had expected, Sokka had merely stared steadily between her and Zuko. His face was not devoid of shock or trepidation, of course. This was his baby sister, after all; the girl who he had been charged to protect as his own when he had been the tender age of thirteen.

Once the shock had passed, however, he had managed a small, tight smile. He opened his arms, and Katara rushed into them, burying her head against her older brother's neck. "Does he make you happy?" he asked softly, attempting to ignore the ache at the back of his throat. When he felt his little sister nod against his chest, he felt his gut clench.

"You break her heart, I'll break your neck," Sokka said at long last, meeting Zuko's gaze with frigid blue eyes.

Zuko felt a chill wash over him, but he swallowed hard and brought his body temperature up to rid himself of the sensation. That done, he nodded solemnly.

With that, Sokka let go of his sister and marched forwards to clasp Zuko's arm in a Warrior's handshake. "Looks like you're really a part of the family now," Sokka observed dryly, and Zuko chuckled in response.

Zuko then turned back towards Katara, who had somehow managed to get teary eyed over the exchange. "I have to go make preparations in the village," he told her, and she nodded.

When he turned to leave, Katara rushed over to him and gripped his arm. "Be careful," she cautioned him, pulling his head out of the clouds and reminding him of the danger. Zuko nodded, and was somewhat surprised when Katara stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his in front of her brother. And what was more shocking was that Sokka didn't respond violently in the slightest.

-------------------

Zuko paused outside the lieutenant's room, his courage failing him for the moment. It had been one thing to plan on enlisting the man's help, but another thing entirely to actually ask him for it. He took a deep, steadying breath, and then knocked.

"Come in," came the gruff response, and Zuko swallowed before pushing the door open and closing in tightly behind him. The aging man then turned around, and his brows shot up when he recognized Zuko. "This is a surprise," the man said, and Zuko squared his shoulders.

"I…Lieutenant…"

"Just Jee."

"Jee, then…" Zuko paused, and then swallowed. "I…I've come to ask you for your assistance," he said at long last, his face flushing somewhat.

"You're asking?" Jee replied, his voice laced with humor. "You mean you're not just going to order me to do your bidding."

"I'm not a prince anymore," Zuko replied quickly. "Nor am I the selfish child that I once was," he added, his voice substantially softer as he recalled his behavior those three years ship bound.

Jee was silent for a time, gauging the boy's words. "No, you're not," he finally agreed, and Zuko managed a tight smile. "This is about the girl, isn't it?" Jee asked, rising from where he sat and brushing off his clothes.

"How did you…"

"It's always about a girl," Jee replied with a slight, knowing smile. "I have to say, I had begun to wonder how long it would take you to develop an interest in the female race. That one time that Iroh attempted to take you to a brothel…"

At the mention of that incident, Zuko's face flamed and he had to pinch the bridge of his nose as he attempted to forget the episode. He'd been painfully oblivious to the whole process until his Uncle had explained why so many pretty girls stood before him. Once that had been revealed, he had been so angry and embarrassed that he had lit the brothel's receiving room on fire.

Needless to say, Iroh had never attempted to take Zuko to such a place again.

"I'd prefer not to be reminded of that, thank you," Zuko replied, his voice gruff to cover the embarrassment that lingered there.

Jee chuckled, and then lifted a brow. "So, what's this favor?" he asked, and Zuko squared his shoulders.

"I'm marrying her."

Silence. Then: "You can't be serious."

Zuko managed a slight smile. "That was her initial response," he conceded, and Jee shook his head. "But really, it is the only course of action that makes any sense at all. We already share a child and…"

"We both know that the nobles will never accept a Water Tribe peasant as their Fire Lady."

"She's equivalent to nobility in the South Pole," Zuko replied defensively. "Her father is the Chieftain."

"Of an insignificant tribe," Jee added, and Zuko narrowed his eyes. Jee then sighed and shook his head. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, do you?" he muttered under his breath, but then he looked up and met Zuko's eyes again.

"Just let me know what you need. I'll do what I can to help," the man finally grumbled. At Zuko's shocked expression, Jee managed a slight half grin. "I've known you since you were very young, Zuko. I knew your mother, and I became good friends with your uncle on that Agni forsaken ship." The man paused. "Since neither of them can be here to help you, it's my place."

Zuko suddenly felt very foolish for ever doubting Jee's intentions, and he bowed to the older man. "Thank you," he replied softly, moved more than he thought he would be.

-----------------------------

Katara woke early the following morning, just before the sun had risen. She sighed softly, and went to lay down again when the memory of the proceeding night hit her like a ton of bricks. She was getting married today. Katara bolted upright in bed, her chest heaving. What, by La, had she gotten herself into? Was she really ready for marriage? Was she being entirely too stupid and childish over this whole matter? Was she…

"Getting cold feet?" Suki's voice jarred Katara out of her panic, and the girl blushed.

"A little," she conceded, and Suki chuckled. "Where's Zuko?" Katara asked softly after a moment, and Suki moved to join the younger girl on the bed.

"He headed into the village earlier this morning. Apparently, there's a whole lot of traditions about the groom not being allowed in his bride's home the day of the wedding… or some such nonsense," Suki said with a wave of her hand, and Katara couldn't help but to smile at her friend.

Absently, Katara's fingertips brushed across her mother's necklace. The movement shocked her into silence, and sent the smile slipping off her face. _Mom…_ Katara's heart cried out, and she gripped the pendant tightly between her fingers, as though doing so would actually bring her mother back to life.

It was only just now that she realized just how different her life would be without her mother. When she had been younger, she had always equated her mother with love and security. When the woman had died, Katara had been devastated. However, she hadn't realized then all of the long term ramifications. Her mother wouldn't be here to see her wed, wouldn't be there for the birth of Katara's first child… A tear slipped down Katara's cheek at the thought.

"Oh, honey, don't cry!" Suki exclaimed, hastening to brush the tear from Katara's face. "This is supposed to be a happy day," the girl scolded gently, and Katara sniffled as she attempted to staunch the flow of tears.

"I was just…" Katara sighed, and then leaned her head against her friend's shoulder. "I was just thinking about my mother," she said softly, squinting her eyes to keep the tears at bay.

Suki said nothing. Instead, she pulled Katara into her arms and held her as a sister would. Katara swallowed hard, grateful for her friend's understanding. "If she was alive, she would have been the one to wake me this morning. She would have brushed my hair, probably cried over her only daughter growing up… She would have brought me to the igloo dedicated to the Spirits. There, we would have prayed together for a love and fertility in my marriage. Then she would have taken me back to our hut, dressed me, done my hair, and probably cried some more, knowing her. And then she would have given me…bedroom advice."

Suki laughed outright at that, and Katara couldn't help but to join her. "It's a tradition in our tribe," Katara added with a smile. "Although I probably would have stopped my ears to the whole conversation," she added with a watery laugh.

"Well, I'm not your mother, and I'll never be able to replace her. But I'll do your hair for you; I'll cry and pray with you. And I'll even throw in some bedroom advice for good measure."

Katara laughed again, and then brushed the lingering tears from her eyes. "Thanks, Suki," she managed, and then hugged her friend tightly. "You're like a sister to me."

"A few more months and I'll actually be your sister," Suki replied with an impish wink. "The second this war's over, Sokka and I are going back to the South Pole and get married. He'll make an honest woman out of me yet."

At the news, Katara let out a decidedly girlish squeal and hugged the Kyoshi warrior again. It was at that moment that Toph barged into the room, Nozomi on her hip. "Your kid's cranky," she announced, plopping the little girl on the floor.

Despite herself, Katara launched out of bed and wrapped Toph in a hug. "Whoa!" Toph exclaimed, taking a step backwards. "Gee, sugar, have you gotten into the Fire Spice?" she asked, and Katara laughed.

"Oh, Toph, won't you please let me do your make up today?" Katara begged, and Toph sighed dramatically.

"If you have to," she grumbled, but Katara could hear the smile in her tone. Not too long after, the noises of giggling and merriment filled the room- sounds that only females are capable of making.

Elsewhere in the house, however, silence reigned.

Aang sat alone in the room he had shared with Sokka, his knees drawn to his chest. Katara- his Katara- was getting married today. Aang swallowed hard and leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes sliding closed. He'd thought about this day for a long time, but in his dreams, he had been the groom. Instead, it was his once rival, part time firebending teacher and sometimes friend that had usurped his place and stolen the girl of his dreams.

If he was still capable, Aang was certain that he would have gone into the Avatar state by now. For once, though, he was glad that he was no longer able to achieve such a feat. For the source of his pain was the girl he had fallen in love with, and to kill her while impassioned… The thought scared the boy witless.

"Cheer up, man. There will be other girls," Sokka's voice intruded on Aang's thoughts and the twelve year old scowled.

"Not helping, Sokka," he replied with a slight roll of his eyes, and Sokka sighed before sliding down the wall.

"Sorry," Sokka said, and Aang shrugged. "It's just…you'll find someone else some day."

"No one like her," Aang replied miserably, and Sokka sighed.

"You know, I used to say the same thing about Yue," the boy said, his voice somber. "But somehow, I met someone who wasn't just as good as Yue- she was better."

Aang scowled, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Think of it this way, man. You want Katara to be happy, don't you?" Sokka asked, and Aang managed a nod. "Well, she'll be happiest if she knows that you're happy for her."

"That makes no sense," Aang replied stubbornly, and Sokka sighed again.

"It makes perfect sense."

"You're starting to sound like Iroh," Aang retorted, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"And you're starting to sound like Toph," the boy replied quickly. "Look, Aang…Katara made her choice. I wasn't too happy with her decision to marry Zuko either, but you know what? I love my sister. I'd do anything to make her happy. And Zuko… when she's around him, she has this sort of glow to her. So, although I don't entirely approve, I won't mope about her decision to marry outside our tribe. You should do the same."

With that said, Sokka stood and left, leaving Aang alone in his misery.

------------------------------

The ceremony was a small one, performed under the cover of darkness. While Zuko hadn't had a chance to tell Katara anything yet, Sokka had informed her that it had taken some time to convince a Fire Sage to perform a wedding with such short notice, and even harder to find one willing to marry a Fire Nation man to a woman of the Water Tribe. Yet, after much wheedling and even bribing, they had finally found one who would perform the task required.

Katara wore a borrowed veil of red gauze for the ceremony, and beneath it lay a face painted sparingly with her friend's cosmetics. But at that moment, Katara could have cared less. It didn't matter that the temple had provided her with her wedding finery; it didn't matter that the marital customs of her tribe were being ignored, or that she couldn't understand the language that bound she and Zuko together as husband and wife. All that mattered was that her hand rested in Zuko's, and that she was embarking on a new phase of life with this boy beside her.

The Fire Sage poured wine into a crude stone goblet, a testament to the poverty of the village that they were being wed in. He passed the cup to Zuko, who drank of it, and then lifted Katara's veil enough to bring it to her lips. She drank of it as well, although her eyes watered and she winced when the alcohol burned its way down her throat.

The Fire Sage then bound their hands together with a scarlet cord, and led them over to the ceremonial fire pit. The tinder lay unkindled within the hole, but Zuko rectified that with one swift motion. The symbolism was lost on Katara, who had never even questioned the marital customs of the Fire Nation until that day. The tight squeeze that Zuko gave her hand, however, was enough of a promise for her.

Moments later, Zuko lifted Katara's veil and claimed her lips in a last symbol of their union as husband and wife.

Later that night, once they had made their way back to the farmhouse, Jee met the pair by the barn. "It isn't much," he said softly, tactfully ignoring the flush that covered Katara's face, "but I did my best," he said, leading the pair up the ladder in the barn and to the loft.

Katara started at what she saw there, and she clung to Zuko's hand all the more. Jee had made them a crude bed, and had even covered it with the pomegranates, coins, and jade eggs that were custom for bridal chambers. Zuko's throat closed at the man's thoughtfulness, and he clasped Jee's hand with gratitude.

The man hastily departed, leaving the newly married couple alone. An awkward silence descended over the pair, and Katara couldn't help but glance between the bed, and Zuko, and then back again. "What…What does all of that mean?" she asked softly, feeling unbearably self conscious.

"They're symbols of fertility," Zuko replied, his voice equally tense.

"Oh," Katara replied softly, her face practically glowing from all the blood pumping through it.

Zuko cleared his throat, and then stepped close enough to Katara to take her hand. "It's nothing to be nervous about," he said, and for the first time in his life he wished that he hadn't set that brothel on fire. "We've slept in the same bed before," he added, attempting to ease the girl's nerves.

"But we haven't…" Katara trailed off, and swallowed hard.

"I wanted to though," Zuko admitted, and Katara's gaze jerked up to meet his own. Zuko smiled slightly, somewhat nervously, as he stepped closer to the girl that he had just claimed as his wife. Tenderly, he rested his hand against her cheek and he let out a breath of air when she leaned into his touch, her eyes sliding closed.

Then, he leaned forwards and kissed her- gently at first, but then with building passion. To his surprise, Katara never once backed down after her initial shyness. Once the initiative had been taken, she molded into his embrace and returned each of his caresses with one of her own.

Their lovemaking was not the fiery, passionate affairs of which the novels speak, nor was it as achingly tender as the poets describe. Rather, it was a fumbling of hands and a flushing of faces; sometimes unbearably awkward and touched with a few brief moments of pain. And despite the tense moments and nervous chuckles, or perhaps because of them, it was an experience that was extraordinarily beautiful.

And somehow, a boy became a man and a girl a woman that night.

* * *

**A/N:** Once again, I'm sorry about the wait. The blame can be placed partially on my friend, Speaks-with-spoons, who had introduced me to so many other realms of fandom these past few months. :D Just kidding Han.

A giant thank you to my beta, Empress of the World, who was kind enough to help me out once she noticed all my typos. Bless her. And another giant thank you to Tempest in Blue, who created an absolutely lovely fanart of the last chapter. For those of you who haven't, there's a link in the reviews.

Once again, please review. Thanks!


	30. Eclipse

The sun rose early the next morning, and Zuko with it. But for once, he didn't slip out of bed and meditate as he usually did. Instead, he had the urge to linger there, even though the pungent odors of mildew and manure mingled together in the darkness of the barn. 

Katara lay close beside him, her head resting on his shoulder and her breasts grazing against his chest with every breath she took. There was something oddly comforting about the way her mass of hair draped over his shoulder and arm; about the way her fingers would occasionally twitch from where they rested on his abdomen. 

Zuko smiled slightly and propped himself up on one elbow so that he could look down at her. The young woman stirred slightly at his movement, but quickly made herself comfortable against his warmth before falling still again. Zuko's smile widened, and he tenderly brushed the hair out of her face. 

Her eyes fluttered open at the motion, and she met his gaze with a heavy lidded one of her own. "Zuko?" she mumbled, her brows pinching together as she shifted. "Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice somewhat distant with exhaustion as she spoke. 

"Go back to sleep," he replied softly, gently brushing his lips across her forehead. Katara's eyes immediately slid closed and she pressed herself closer to her husband before drifting off. Zuko smiled, and then leaned back against the pillows, his arm wrapped tightly around Katara's shoulders. 

Last night had been… Zuko shook his head. He'd heard what it was like to make love to a woman, of course. Usually from his uncle. That fact alone had a great deal to do with why he had steered as far as he could from women in general. For one, if he _did _enjoy it, his uncle was proved right, which Zuko would have hated. Secondly, he would have had to put up with his uncle's jibes and sly looks for weeks afterwards. Now, he wondered as to why he had even bothered to stay so far away.

Katara stirred against him again, shifting positions so that she could bury her face in the crook of his neck. Zuko chuckled softly at the movement and then kissed her bare shoulder. She had been as innocent as he was, Zuko knew.

If her hesitance before hand hadn't been enough to clue him in, the pain that flashed across her pretty features when he'd entered her most certainly did. For a moment afterwards, he'd been terrified that he had done something completely and utterly wrong. But then she had forced a smile and let him know that the first time was always painful for a girl. 

Zuko swallowed at the memory, and then lightly brushed his fingertips over Katara's spine. The young woman shivered at the touch, and then pressed closer against him in her sleep. 

Despite those first brief moments where she had screwed her eyes shut against the pain, Katara had managed to mimic his motions and equally match his passions. By the end of their time entwined together, he had been certain that the pain she had felt in the beginning had completely faded away. However, the way she had pressed her thighs tightly together once the height of their passion had ebbed away let him know that he had been mistaken. 

He had apologized roughly, his throat choked at the thought that he had hurt her. He had kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her nose and her chin, whispering that he had never meant to cause her pain; promising that the next time would be better. 

She had laughed softly in response, and lightly kissed his lips. Then she had called him an idiot and told him that it had been perfect; that he hadn't hurt her in the slightest. And then she had rolled onto her side, rested her head on his chest, and told him that she loved him before drifting off to sleep. 

Zuko absently ran his hands through Katara's hair, making her mumble something incoherent against his flesh. He frowned slightly at the noise, and Katara lifted her head enough for Zuko to see her scowl. "Go back to sleep, Zuko," she grumbled, making him chuckle. 

A fire bender never slept while the sun was suspended in the sky, but somehow, Zuko found a way to break against tradition that morning. His wife's gentle snores distracted him from the source of his element, and he drifted back into slumber. 

----------------------------

The pair awoke later that morning to the sound of Sokka's voice. "You two decent up there?" the boy shouted up to the loft, and Zuko scowled. 

"No!" he shouted back down to his friend, both annoyed and angry at the disruption. Katara had pressed her head closer against Zuko's neck, and grumbled something about how murdering the person who interrupts your honeymoon should be perfectly legal. 

There was silence for several heartbeats, and Zuko belatedly realized that this had to be hard on Sokka; that it was the boy's baby sister that he had 'corrupted' last night. "Give me a second," Zuko added to soften the blow of what his earlier statement had been implying. 

Zuko rolled out of bed, much to Katara's sleepy protests, and pulled on his pants. "I'll be right back," he told the young woman, bending to kiss her temple before descending the ladder. When he turned to face his brother in law, he noticed that the water tribe warrior looked distinctly uncomfortable. 

Sokka took in Zuko's mussed hair, scowl, and lack of a shirt before wincing. "I didn't… interrupt anything, did I?" he asked after a moment, shifting from one foot to the other anxiously. 

'Only our beauty sleep," Zuko replied dryly, a hint of a smile coming to rest over his features. 

"Good," Sokka breathed, the tension seeming to drain away from his body. The warrior then bit his lip, and glanced up to where he knew his little sister to be. "Is she…okay?" he asked, his voice low enough so that Katara wouldn't be able to hear. 

A part of Zuko understood where Sokka was coming from, why the warrior was so anxious over Katara and so wary of him. He thought of Nozomi, and what it would be like when the little girl grew up and fell in love. He had no doubt he would be just as protective of the girl as Sokka had been over his sister, if not more so. The mere thought that one day some man was going to touch his little girl made his stomach twist into knots.

Zuko rested his hand on Sokka's shoulder. He didn't tell Sokka not to worry; didn't feel insulted at what the warrior's question could have implied. Rather, he merely said, "She's fine."

Sokka nodded in response, glancing up to the loft again. "Good." He licked his lips and then cleared his throat. "I just came to tell you that we need to go over the finalized plans for the invasion tomorrow," Sokka then said, his voice returning to normal. "You and Katara kind of need to be there…"

Zuko nodded quickly, although he felt jarred to the bone. _Tomorrow. _Tomorrow was the Eclipse. "We'll just take a quick bath, and then we'll join you," he said, and Sokka flushed slightly at the words. Zuko could tell that some part of the Water Tribe warrior wanted to tell him to keep his hands of his sister, but Sokka restrained himself admirably. 

"I'll tell the others," he said, his voice sounding thin and strained. With that, he turned and headed out of the barn as quickly as possible, leaving Zuko and Katara alone again. Zuko sighed, and then made his way back up the ladder. 

"Katara! We need to get dressed," he called as he made his way up. When he reached the top, he found Katara wriggling into her shoes already, although her hair still hung in a tangled mass down her back. 

"Already done," she replied somewhat offhandedly. "Jee took me to a little brook yesterday morning. It was a little cold, but it did the job well enough," she added. When she turned and found that a slight smile rested upon Zuko's lips and his brows were raised in question, she shrugged. "I heard you tell Sokka that we need to take a bath," she replied to his unspoken question with a slight roll of her eyes. 

"Don't we know everything?" Katara had to turn around and look at Zuko to make certain that he was actually teasing her. The wide grin on his face and the humor in his eyes left no room for doubt, so she found her own smile widening. When was the last time he'd teased her? Katara honestly couldn't remember him ever doing so. The young man was usually stoic, and although he smiled more often now than he had when he'd first joined them, he'd rarely ever engaged in an actual act of flirtation. He had been rather straightforward throughout their entire courtship, and seeing him with his guard completely lowered made Katara's heart warm considerably. 

"Get used to it," Katara replied, her voice light. She tossed him a wink, and then ran her fingers through her hair. Upon reaching a tangle, she heaved out a sigh and decided that it wasn't worth the trouble. "Let's go," she said, glancing over Zuko once to ensure that he was dressed. 

Zuko chuckled as he followed Katara down the ladder and out of the barn. The pair made their way across the field surrounding Jee's small farm hand in hand, smiles on their faces. At one point, Zuko picked a flower and placed it behind Katara's ear. He kissed the tip of her nose, she laughed, and they continued onwards.

The stream was located quite a distance from the farm. In fact, cultivated fields had yielded to shady, grassy areas by the time they had arrived. "This is a bit out of the way," Zuko noted, and Katara smiled. 

"It's beautiful, though," she supplied. "I think that's why Jee brought me here," she added, making Zuko chuckle and shake his head. 

The stream and the area surrounding it were indeed beautiful, Zuko noted as he glanced around. The water resembled rippling sheets of glass, and was shaded by trees that were surely as old as the Fire Nation itself. "It won't be for long," Zuko said softly, turning to look at Katara once more. She cocked her head in question, and Zuko shrugged. "It's only a matter of time until they cut down the trees to feed the machines they build. And the farmers won't allow a piece of good land to sit fallow for much longer."

Katara sighed softly, taking in the beauty of the sun shining through the leaves of the trees, of the gentle murmuring of the stream. What a shame it would be to lose such a place, and all so that the Fire Nation could promote its industry. Zuko's words came back to her, and she frowned. "They?"

Zuko's brow furrowed "Hm?"

"You said they, not we," she observed, and Zuko shrugged. 

"I'm one of you now," he replied nonchalantly, and Katara's mouth stretched into a grin. 

"You poor son of a hogmonkey," she said with a laugh, and Zuko chuckled. 

"We should probably hurry," Zuko said, gesturing to the stream. "Before long, your brother will probably…" the young man trailed off when Katara loosened her garment and allowed it to slip off her shoulders. He cleared his throat and made a valiant effort to keep his gaze upon his wife's face, but he wound up succumbing to his baser urges. 

"What about my brother?" she asked, and Zuko growled in the back of his throat. 

"You little…"

"Are you going to join me or not?" she asked over her shoulder, stepping into the water. The water was cold, though not so cold as that of the South Pole. The stream was shallow as well, and at its deepest point, its waters only managed to lap around her waist. 

Zuko quickly shucked off his own clothing and hurried in behind his wife. He froze when the cold water lapped around his calves, more unused to anything chilly than Katara was due to his upbringing in a generally hot, humid environment. Nevertheless, he steeled himself and continued in until he reached Katara, who was watching him with amusement. 

"That was dirty," he muttered, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. 

She laughed in response, and lifted a tendril of water to smack his shoulder. Zuko winced, and Katara grinned and turned in his arms so that her chest was pressed flush against his. "Now_ that_ was dirty," she said, making Zuko shake his head slightly in response. 

"Really, Katara, why did you bring me all the way out here? We could have just as easily used the tub that Jee has set up out back…"

Katara pulled Zuko's head down to hers and kissed him, cutting off his flow of words. "Because if we were out in the open, we wouldn't be able to do this," she replied easily, using the water to lift herself up and wrap her thighs around Zuko's hips. The young man's eyes widened, and then he grinned. 

Zuko stopped objecting. 

-----------------------

"We need to invade before the actual Eclipse," Sokka stated once everyone was ensconced within the mildewing walls of the barn, and five pairs of eyes bored into him at once. "The way I've figured it, the Eclipse should last around four to five minutes. That time should be spent when we're with the Fire Lord, since he's our greatest threat."

Zuko nodded in response, and then added his own voice. "We need to split up. I'll be the head of one team: the one leading to Ozai's throne room. No one knows that Palace like I do. Sokka will lead the other team that will take the distraction off of Aang and me."

"I'm going with you," Katara said firmly, and Zuko shook his head. 

"No, Katara. Your skills as a healer are needed, and…"

"Plenty of healers from the North Pole are already on their way, most of whom are far more experienced than I. My place is with you and with Aang, fighting by your side." Zuko opened his mouth to object, and Katara glared at him. "I can't be bullied, Zuko of the Fire Nation."

Zuko heaved out a sigh, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine," he breathed, trying and failing to suppress a scowl. There was no way to win when it came to Katara, at least when it came to matters of great importance. 

"That means you're with me, Toph," Sokka said, and the blind girl tossed the boy a feral grin. 

"Think you can keep up with me, Pony Tail?" she queried, a teasing note in her voice. 

"Ten copper says I kill more scumbags than you," Sokka replied, and Toph chortled. 

"Ten copper's nothing. Make it ten gold."

"You're on."

"Don't you think it's ridiculous to bet on how many lives you're going to take?" Aang demanded. Sokka looked somewhat chastised, but Toph scoffed.

"Nope."

"Control yourselves," Zuko finally snapped, and when the group turned to stare at him, wide eyed, he met them each with a level glare. "We're going to war tomorrow. Bickering will get us nowhere."

This time, quiet did descend and Suki nodded. "Zuko's right. If we all want to come out of this alive, we have to know exactly what we're doing tomorrow," she agreed, and then turned to the young man. "I think it would be a good idea if you drew us a diagram of the palace," she suggested, and Zuko nodded. 

The boy quickly pulled out a sheet of parchment and a quill from a bag underneath his feet, and he quickly sketched out what Suki had asked for. The sketch was rough, he knew, but it would suit his purposes. "Katara, Aang and I will go through this path," he said, indicating a spot on the map. 

"A sewer system?" Katara enquired, a brow raised as she lightly bounced Nozomi on her lap. 

"To avoid detection," Zuko replied, and the girl nodded while Aang voiced his approval of the plan. "The sewers branch into a cluster of tunnels here," Zuko continued, gesturing to a spot several chambers away from the throne room. "We'll take the one that leads us directly to Ozai." His finger landed on the crudely shaped rectangle that symbolized the Fire Nation's seat of power. 

Katara swallowed, and then brushed her fingers over Nozomi's downy curls as she attempted to hide her fear. Zuko's eyes met hers quickly, as though he could sense her trepidation, and then he gently rested his hand on her knee in comfort. Aang pointedly turned away from the exchange and stared back down at the map. 

"So what are Sokka, Suki, and Toph doing?" the boy asked, clearing his throat and attempting to banish his jealousy. 

Zuko turned back to the map, although his hand remained in place over Katara's knee. "They enter in the same manner that we will, but they'll take this tunnel here," he said, pointing to it with his free hand. "This one leads to the servants quarters. Manage to make enough ruckus in there to attract the guards' attention, and then get out as quickly as possible. The idea is for them to follow you, and to lure them out of the throne room."

"Suki's not coming," Sokka said decisively, and the girl bristled. 

"What?" the girl demanded, and Sokka narrowed his eyes. "I'm the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. It is my duty to lead the other girls into battle! It's my duty to protect…"

"Our child," Sokka interrupted, and Suki's eyes went round. Her hand strayed to her belly, and she swallowed hard. "Yes, you're a leader, Suki. I know that. But right now, you're a mother. Your duty is to first and foremost protect our child. Marching into war is just asking for something to happen…" the young man trailed off and met and held Suki's gaze. "I can't lose you," he finally murmured. 

Suki licked her lips, and then dropped her gaze. "Fine," she conceded at long last. 

Sokka's lips turned up into a fond smile before he cleared his throat and glanced over to Zuko. "How will we know we're going the right way?" he asked, and Zuko's face settled into a half smile as he glanced pointedly at Toph. The blind girl grinned when she felt the weight of the young man's gaze upon her, and then she turned to where she presumed Sokka was sitting. 

"I'm your secret weapon, Pony Tail," she announced cheekily, and Suki chuckled. "Since I'm the one who's going to save your butt, I think we should up the price to fifteen gold," Toph added, and Sokka grinned smugly. 

"You're going to owe me a hell of a lot of money, little girl," he replied confidently, his fingers laced together behind his head. Toph barked out her laughter, and Aang scowled. 

"Does everybody understand what we're doing?" he demanded, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. The others turned to look at him, surprise etched onto their features. 

"I think so," Sokka replied somewhat uneasily before turning to Zuko. "You mind if I take that with me?" he asked, gesturing to the crudely drawn map.

Zuko nodded and then pushed the parchment towards the warrior. "I don't need it," he replied, and Sokka nodded his thanks. 

For a moment, silence descended upon the group like a shroud. What words were there left to say? Their plans had been drawn, and their fates were sealed with their actions. They would either win, or they would die. Each of the young people assembled knew this fact, just as they knew that this could potentially be the last time that they were all assembled together, fighting for the same cause. What words could possible be offered in comfort? How could they voice such things when they themselves desired to deny the possibility of failure?

The innocence of a child quickly drove the mantle of darkness away. "Hungry, Mama," Nozomi said, her little brow scrunched and her thumb shoved into her mouth, oblivious to the fears of those assembled around her. 

Katara laughed lightly, and kissed the little girl's smooth forehead, glad that the tension had dissipated with the child's words. "We can't have that now," she said fondly as she gently drew the child's thumb from her mouth. 

"I think the kid has the right idea," Sokka added with a light chuckle. "I'm starving."

"You're always starving," Toph added with a roll of her eyes. 

"Or complaining," Zuko threw in, and Sokka scowled at the pair. 

"Suki," Sokka groaned, looking to the Kyoshi Warrior for assistance. 

"Or following his instincts," Suki said with a grin, and Sokka glowered.

"Which always get us lost, or in trouble…" Toph added, making Sokka palm his face. 

"The abuse I take," the young warrior muttered, and Toph punched his arm in response. 

"Guys, stop…" Aang began, his Avatar peace-making instincts kicking in. Then, seemingly realizing the futility of it, the boy let out a deep sigh and shook his head. "Let's just go eat," he finally said, a crooked grin making its way across his boyish features. 

------------------------------------

The meal had been a boisterous one, full of laughter and snickering and familial love. Somehow, the prize of the contest Sokka and Toph had decided upon had reached seventy gold, a price which had made even Jee cough and sputter. Their laughter had pushed aside dark thoughts of the battle that loomed on the horizon, and occasionally, for the briefest of moments, they would forget that such a thing as war even existed. 

But the meal had ended all too quickly, and by silent accord, each couple had gone their own way. No goodbyes were said that night; no one had the heart to say them. For a goodbye was a farewell, and farewells were far too permanent. Instead, looks had been exchanged; looks that held the weight of the world and were impossible for words to fully describe. 

Katara and Zuko had retired to the loft above the barn in which they had spent their wedding night. There, they laid together, Zuko wrapped around Katara, Katara around Nozomi, their joined hands resting over the body of their child. They spent their night whispering meaningless words of comfort, sweet nothings whose words they didn't necessarily understand, but their hearts accepted all the same. 

Sokka and Suki had disappeared behind the walls of the room in which they had embraced their future as a family. There, they laid together, each touch and gentle caress a tender promise of a future that they were uncertain that they would be able to share.

Toph and Aang were left alone, heartsick, and with only each other for company. The pair sat outside, where Toph buried her toes in the dirt and Aang stared up at the moon. Two broken hearts sat side by side, avoiding thoughts of a future and preferring to dwell on the past. 

When the sun rose the next morning, silence reigned. 

--------------------------

The passage was narrow and rank, and Sokka could barely discern his surroundings for the darkness. Then again, he supposed that didn't matter. Toph was his eyes in the blackness of this tunnel. "Scared, Pony Tail?" Toph teased, as though sensing that his train of thought had turned towards her. 

Sokka didn't reply for a while. Instead, he merely continued to trudge ahead, filthy water swirling about his calves as he did so. His mind turned to Suki, whom he had left earlier that morning; recalled the tears that had glimmered in her eyes but had remained unshed. She would be worried for him, he knew. He had to return to her. He'd promised her he would. 

His mind then traveled to his little sister, who was walking straight into the heart of danger. No matter that Zuko… her husband…was by her side. Sokka had no doubt of the man's skill, but in a fight against Ozai? Or Azula, for that matter? Sokka's stomach churned a little with dread. 

Unlike Suki, Katara's eyes had swum with tears at their parting. He had come close to losing his composure as well. What if that was truly the last time they saw each other? The way Katara's arms had twined tight about him and her body had shook as he'd held her let him know that the thought had entered her mind as well. 

"Yeah," Sokka finally replied to Toph's earlier question, his voice uncharacteristically serious. 

Toph didn't snort or chuckle as he'd half expected she would. Instead, he made out the slight slump of her shoulders through the darkness, and the sigh she expelled reached his ears. "Me too," she replied, her voice almost too soft for Sokka to hear. Yet he did, and it made his gut clench. Her voice was so somber, so serious… so un-Toph like. 

The girl cleared her throat, and she spoke again, the impishness had returned to her voice. "Scared that you'll cry like a baby when I kill more scum than you do!"

Sokka knew that the words were spoken mostly for his sake, so he decided to play along, to forget the child-like, fearful quality her voice had carried only moments before. "You'll be the one crying when you have to give me that seventy gold."

Toph chuckled deep in the back of her throat, and then they fell quiet once more. With only the sound of the water sloshing around her knees reaching her ears, Toph's 'gaze' turned introspective. Why were they even bothering to keep up the charade? She could feel his fear and anxiety, and he knew she could feel it. What's more, they were walking directly into what could be interpreted as certain death, should their plan backfire. Shouldn't she be brutally honest with someone just this once?

Toph chewed on the inside of her cheek, but was careful to keep her shoulders straight to divert Sokka from her train of thought. Then again, it was doubtful that he was even taking notice of her. His mind was probably with Katara right now, or, more likely…Suki. 

The realization made Toph's throat constrict, and she closed her eyes briefly. She'd thought she'd known pain when she'd lived with her parents. She had believed then that nothing…_nothing…_ could be worse than being hidden away by the people who supposedly loved her; than feeling her parents' embarrassment when someone remarked on her sightless gaze. But somehow, even that didn't compare to the way her heart ached at Sokka's rejection. 

At least when she was with her parents, she knew that they loved her. She knew that although they may have been embarrassed by the things she did, they still cared deeply for her. And although she hadn't wanted to admit it at the time, Toph now knew that when her parents had shut her away, they had done so because they believed that was what would be best for her. She would be far removed from questioning gazes and cruel whispers, and therefore far away from pain. Or so they thought. 

_You were right Mom. Sometimes its better to live your life alone,_ Toph thought as she felt Sokka's vibrations behind her. _It's too painful otherwise._

"How much longer do we have to walk?" Sokka asked, drawing Toph from her thoughts. 

"There's a turn a little farther up. Then we head up to the surface," Toph replied, and Sokka nodded in response. Afterwards, he berated himself, abruptly remembering that the girl couldn't see the movement. 

There was silence for a short time longer, and then s strange sound filled the tunnel. Sokka squinted his eyes as he attempted to place the origin of the sound, and he almost started in surprise when he realized that it was Toph. Humming. Sokka wracked his brain to attempt to remember a similar incident, but found that he couldn't. So instead, he focused on the soft melody that the girl was humming. 

It was hushed, almost as though she didn't want him to hear. Sokka focused harder, the gentle noise distracting him from their purpose. It was a high, almost warbling sound, one that called to mind little birds of the earth kingdom. But there was a rhythm to it, one that reminded him of the tides of his home. Earth and water melded together in a short and simple song. 

Just then, he was distracted by a loud clanging overhead. The song died as quickly as it had begun, and the pair stood still, listening to the booming above them.  
"What's happening?" Sokka asked, his voice unintentionally hushed. 

Toph was silent for several heartbeats as she felt the earth vibrating around her. "The battle's started."

-----------------

Haru grit his teeth and clenched his fist tightly, his lips thinning as he watched the Fire Nation troops marching towards him. He tried to tell himself that there was no difference between this battle and the countless others that he had been involved in since he and his father had escaped the Fire Nation ship all those months ago. He tried to tell himself that all his preparations would pay off. 

In the end, he was little reassured. He was seventeen years old- more boy than man really- and he was up against middle aged men whose entire lives had revolved around fighting. Haru took a deep breath to steady himself, but was distracted by the feel of sweat tickling his upper lip. 

"Don't worry so much. It's just a game, really." Jet was suddenly beside him, the boy's posture relaxed and his hooked swords seemingly nothing more than an extension of his arms. Jet held their weight so naturally that it seemed that he had been birthed with them clenched in his fists. He looked like he had been born to wield them. Been born to kill. 

"A game?" Haru asked, grateful for the distraction. 

Jet smirked, his lips taking on a different shape now that the weed he chewed on habitually no longer rested between them. "It's like the war games we played as kids. The more guys you take out, the higher your score. No big," Jet clarified, and Haru's brow clouded. 

"Its not like that here," the boy murmured, his eyes trained on the band moving towards them. The Fire Nation army moved like an armored snake, the sun glinting off of its red and gold scales. "Here…here people die."

"They're not people," Jet replied smoothly. "They're murderers."

"And we're not?" Haru replied. "We've killed just the same as they have."

"We kill to defend; they kill to conquer," Jet said, and Haru's brow furrowed deeply. 

"They're still people," Haru mumbled, his eyes trained on the snake that wove closer with every breath. 

"Think of them that way, and you'll die. You start thinking about them as human beings, you'll hesitate. You hesitate, they'll kill you. That's how it works with them." Jet stopped speaking and then shrugged his shoulders. "Think about that."

With that, the boy walked away to his earlier position, perhaps the only one of all of them who wasn't terrified of what was to come. Haru's frown deepened, and he swallowed hard before turning back to the Fire Nation army. It no longer looked like one entity; it was close enough now that Haru could make out the individual soldiers, although each looked identical clad as they were in face plates and heavy armor. 

"Get ready!" The command reached Haru's ears, and he clenched his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Then, he counted to ten and expelled a long breath in order to calm himself. That done, he shifted into his earthbending stance, unclenched his fists, and lifted his hands. 

"Steady!" The cry came again, and Haru took another deep breath, willing his gut to stop rolling. He shifted slightly, uncomfortably, his palms sweating. 

"Charge!" With that one word, the world became a blur. Haru stopped thinking, and instinct took over as he leapt forward, before pressing his hands to the ground and then thrusting them up to the sky. A rock wall instantly sprang upwards, and in one quick motion, Haru tossed it at the Fire Nation soldiers. 

Screams pierced through the din of battle as bones and bodies were crushed by the onslaught, but there was no time to celebrate the small victory. The ranks of the earthbenders bent as one, their arms moving in a strong, slow fashion as they lifted a high wall of rock around the Fire Nation army. 

The angry shouts of the Fire benders rang over the land from behind the wall, and the Earth Kingdom soldiers cheered at the small victory. At that moment, a good quarter of the earthbenders broke ranks and ran towards the wall, each one followed by a large amount of foot soldiers. 

Haru joined their ranks, barking orders over his shoulder to the men whom had been placed under his command. The world spun, and with the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Haru forgot about his previous fears. They had the Fire Nation exactly where they wanted them: trapped behind a wall of impenetrable rock. 

They arrived at the wall, and the sound of clanging armor and curses could clearly be heard within. As one, the Earthbenders who had broken rank took down a small piece of the wall each, the hole barely wide enough for one man to pass through. Nevertheless, the soldiers poured out, fire in their hands and swords strapped to their backs. 

The foot soldiers attacked mercilessly. Heads were swept clean off shoulders, throats were cut, limbs dismembered, gaping holes carved into chests. The felled Fire Nation soldiers cried out in pain and defeat, and despite the grim situation, Haru smiled. 

What had once seemed impossible was quickly becoming a reality. The Fire Nation soldiers were being slaughtered like the dogs that they were, and the Earth Kingdom soldiers were living through the onslaught. 

The world had fought back against the cruel hand of its master, and it was winning.

----------------------

Aang heard the clanging from outside the secret passage, and he swallowed hard. He noted the thinning of Zuko's lips and the widening of Katara's eyes, and he realized that that they too must realize that the battle was upon them. "Zuko…" Aang began, but the man shook his head and covered his lips with his finger. 

Aang nodded and fell into silence, occasionally exchanging worried glances with Katara. Zuko's face was grim and nearly gray in color, making Aang's nerves spike. If Zuko was so worried, shouldn't he be terrified as well? After all, Zuko was a much more talented bender than he was. So if Zuko feared, he had every right to. 

At that thought, Aang chastised himself. _You're the Avatar. You can do this… You _have _to do this. _He felt Katara's gaze on him, and his heart warmed at the concern in her eyes. The woman moved to his side and grasped his hand tightly in her own, her blue eyes filled with the emotions that she didn't dare to speak. They shone with love and compassion, but more so with an apology that she had been unable to love him as he loved her. They pleaded with him to forgive her; to think of her as the sister he'd never had rather than the lover that he could never obtain. 

Aang expelled a sigh before smiling and gripping the woman's hand tightly between his own. Now was not the time for past hurts to rise up. More so now than ever, he had to forgive her for accidentally breaking his heart; had to forgive Zuko for stealing her away; had to forgive himself for placing this woman before the world. 

Katara's face brightened as though she had read his eyes as he had read hers. She squeezed his hand again, pecked his cheek, and then she was gone. Aang closed his eyes briefly as he watched the woman take her husband's hand in hers; attempted to stifle the jealously when their fingers laced together and her head came to rest upon Zuko's shoulder. 

The boy sighed again, and looked down at his shoes before resolving that he would save all his feelings for later, when there would be time to think them over, to talk to Katara about them face to face. Until then, he would place a cap on them, ignore them, and concentrate on fighting with all of his strength. 

Katara continued to walk on ahead of him, seemingly oblivious to what was running through Aang's skull. Instead, her attention had become focused on the muscle that jerked in Zuko's jaw and the coldness in her husband's eyes. He was torn, she realized. He may be one of them now, but these were his people that he was fighting and killing. Ozai may be his mortal enemy, but the man was his father first and foremost.

"It'll all be okay," she whispered, standing on tiptoe so that she could speak while making as little noise as possible. At her words, Zuko turned towards her, the ice in his gaze melting. A strange smile tilted a corner of his lips up, and he nodded briefly before leaning down to kiss her temple. He then turned away from her again, and his eyes froze over once more. 

Katara chewed on her lip, and then focused her gaze ahead as well. Her mind, however, traveled to her brother and Toph, who were now probably walking through a tunnel similar to one such as this. The difference, Zuko had explained before they had left that morning, was that the tunnel they walked through was carved well, dry, and lit by torches that burned night and day. The tunnel that Sokka and Toph traveled down was filled with water and shrouded in darkness. 

Apparently, if the Fire Lord should need to escape, he should do so in a way to keep the silk of his robes intact and clean. Vanity. 

All of a sudden, Zuko came to a halt, and Katara turned her face up towards him, her brow knotted. "What is it?" she asked softly, and Zuko's words sent chills running down her spine. 

"We're here."

------------------------

Toph dashed through the hallways as fast as her little, calloused feet could carry her. Sokka groaned and panted as he attempted to keep up with the spry child, although he would never admit the difficulty he had in doing so. Sokka almost cried out when a guard jumped into their line of sight, but it died in his throat when Toph ripped the floor from underneath the soldier and then crushed him with it a moment later. 

"That's one for me, Pony Tail!" Toph exclaimed, and Sokka's eyes narrowed. 

"The next one's mine," he muttered through clenched teeth, making Toph laugh. 

"Keep telling yourself that," she replied easily, the humor in her voice making it easy to forget that she had just killed a man. 

Alerted by the first man's cry, a group of soldiers rushed out of a room and directly towards them. Sokka and Toph took stances back to back, a wicked gleam in both of their eyes. When the first of the guards rushed forwards, Sokka's boomerang knocked the helmet off his head and exposed his face. A moment later, Toph had a rock hurtling towards him. By the time the man lifted his arms, it was too late. 

"Two for me," Toph said when he fell, and Sokka scowled. 

"I helped you! I get half the credit!" 

"Baby."

"Cheater!"

The pair surged into action once more, and Sokka scowled. "Isn't the idea to draw them as far away from the others as possible?" he demanded sourly, his pride smarting. 

"Point taken," Toph agreed, lifting the rock from the floor and encasing the guards assembled within it. Sokka fumed as he ran past. 

"Those don't count!" he exclaimed, and Toph waved the boy off as she dashed forwards, Sokka hot on her heels. 

The next time a guard rushed around the corner, Sokka's boomerang was there first. It lodged in the man's throat, and the soldier crumpled to the floor. 

"One to two. Looks like I'm catching up to you, little girl," Sokka exclaimed, a self satisfied grin on his face. "That seventy gold is as good as mine."

At that moment, Toph crouched low and then thrust her arms straight forwards. The ground trembled, and then swallowed the incoming group of soldiers whole. "Twelve." Toph said with a grin, and Sokka scowled. "Now, what were you saying?"

Sokka fumed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You just wait…I'll win this yet," he grumbled, and Toph chuckled at the sour note in his voice. 

"Let's get going. The faster we get outside, the easier it'll be to get rid of these guys," Toph said, prodding the man forwards. 

"Easier for you," he mumbled under his breath, but ran after the girl nonetheless. 

The pair continued through the halls, running across the occasional shrieking maid and disposing of more guards with every turn in the hall. When they finally made it out of doors, they had what appeared to be the entire Fire Nation Army trailing after them. 

Sokka lunged forwards, his boomerang gripped tightly in his hands as he issued a war cry. Toph grinned as she entered her stance, digging her toes deep into her element. Between the two of them, the guards didn't stand a chance. They fell one after another, their bodies crumpling to the ground as the two fighters counted each corpse. 

"Twenty six," Sokka said once they were the only two still standing. His lip was bleeding, and he sported a rather nasty burn on one arm, but besides that, he seemed no worse for the wear. 

"Fifty two," Toph replied smugly, and she tossed her head so that her bangs fluttered out of sightless eyes. Sokka's jaw dropped and his eyes narrowed. 

"No way!" he exclaimed, and then chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Maybe I got the numbers backwards…" Sokka began, tapping his chin in mock thought. "No… I think it was more like sixty two," he finally said, and Toph scoffed. 

"Are you kidding me, Pony Tail? Who the hell do you think you're trying to fool? I mean I practically have a built in…" Toph's voice trailed off as she picked up oddly familiar vibrations through the ground. When Sokka went to protest further, Toph quickly shushed him and planted her short, square shaped palms on the earth. 

"No," she breathed softly, true fear making its way across her childish features. 

"Toph? Hey, Toph? What's the matter?" Sokka questioned hurriedly, and Toph bit her lower lip. 

"We need to get out of here. Now," was the cryptic response she gave, but the urgency in her voice let Sokka know just how grave the situation had become. 

"_Too late."_

---------------------------------

Hakoda stood aboard the deck of his ship, his heart leaping to his throat when he saw that the Fire Nation Navy was heading his way. "Steady men," he barked, his voice loud, commanding, and betraying none of the fear that welled up within him. 

The waterbenders aboard his ship acknowledged him with a tight nod, but the man who stood beside him was just as frozen as he was. "Hakoda…" Bato murmured, his gaze fixed upon the horizon. "How did they know? They were supposed to be distracted by the men inside the Fire Nation." A pause. "Does this mean that the people inside failed?"

Hakoda said nothing, but his mind instantly turned towards his children. His throat closed at the thought that something could have happened to them, but he quickly pushed the fears away. They would be fine. They had to be. "Put all of your focus on this," Hakoda chastised his second, gesturing to the Navy that was heading their way. 

Bato nodded quickly, and then cleared his throat. "How will we…there's so many…"

"We still stand a chance," Hakoda insisted, and then turned to where Pakku stood with the waterbenders. "Prepare yourselves!" he shouted, and the waterbenders shifted into their stances. On all of the other ships around them, captains issued similar commands, and the fighters took near identical stances. 

The Fire Nation ships closed in on them at speeds Hakoda found it hard to believe. The sheer amount of coal that they must have been burning… He shook his head quickly, and focused on the imminent battle. Mere minutes later, they were in shooting range. "Pakku!" Hakoda exclaimed, and the Waterbending master nodded in understanding. 

"Prepare yourselves," he instructed his fighters, stepping into position himself. 

"Ready the cannons!" Hakoda shouted to his own men, who scrambled to do as he had bid. The flames came then, shooting across the sky at inhuman speed. 

Pakku raised his arms, as did the rest of the waterbenders. A wall of water lifted high into the air, putting out the flame and absorbing the blow of the cannon ball. 

"Fire!" Hakoda shouted, and his men released their own onslaught. 

Cannon balls hurtled through the air, embedding themselves in the wooden frames of the Water Tribe ships while the iron of the Fire Nation's ships were punctured by the ice the waterbenders had hurtled at them. Fire whizzed through the air, singing the sails and consuming the ships whose waterbenders hadn't prepared the wall in time. 

As the battle progressed, more and more ships began to sink. The only consolation that Hakoda had was that the losses seemed rather even on both sides. And then, miracle of miracles, the Fire Nation ships began to retreat. 

The water tribesmen whooped out their pleasure, and Hakoda pulled Bato into a warrior's embrace. "Give chase!" he commanded his men, who did his bidding with more enthusiasm than they had the first time. Laughter filled the deck, and Hakoda couldn't keep the grin that stretched across his face in check, despite the great losses that they had taken. They had defeated the Fire Nation Navy! Surely winning the war would be a simple task after achieving such a feat. 

"Cowards, the lot of them," Bato exclaimed, his own features stretched into a grin. "Beno!" Bato shouted, and his son turned his face towards the man, beaming. "Good work!" he exclaimed, and the boy positively beamed with pride. 

In the midst of the cheering and congratulatory remarks, however, the sun had reached its zenith, and beat down mercilessly upon the Water Tribesmen. Sweat dripped down from Hakoda's temple and into his eye, making him wince despite his laughter. He lifted a large paw to wipe away the sweat, and in so doing, he turned his back from his people. What he saw when he put his hand down made his gut clench painfully. 

The sky was filled with arrows, and the sheer brilliance of the flames at their tips was enough to obscure the sun itself. "Waterbenders!" Hakoda shouted, his voice barely rising above the din. Only a few heeded his call, and before those had the time to defend themselves, fire rained down over every deck. 

Pandemonium ensued. The captains of the ships barked out orders to the members of their crew, but the crewmen had entered a state of panic. The waterbenders busied themselves putting out the fires on the decks of the ships, leaving the Water Tribes unprotected from the next onslaught. 

The arrows rained down again, causing the men to dive to the deck to take cover, and the fires that they started forced even more men into the sea. "Bato! Tell the men to get the blankets from their bunks and beat out the flames," Hakoda instructed, but he received no answer. "Bato?" Hakoda called out again. 

The chief of the Southern Water Tribe made his way over to the opposite deck, where Bato had ran earlier during the attack. "Bato!" He called again, and again, received no answer. A member of the crew gestured towards the base of one of the masts before rushing down below decks, drawing an angry glare from Hakoda. 

The acrid stench of smoke filled Hakoda's nostrils as he made his way over to where the man had gestured, words of anger at his second resting on the tip of his tongue. He tripped over something on his way there, and he scowled as he looked down to see what it was. 

Bato's face stared up at him. 

The man's eyes were rolled to the back of his head so that only the whites showed, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth onto his beard. The most gruesome sight of all, however, was the arrow that entered at the man's jugular and exited at the base of his head. 

Hakoda's world spun on its axis as he dropped to his knees beside the man he had been friends with since boyhood. "Bato!" Hakoda exclaimed, as though his shout could bring the man back to life. But he knew it wouldn't. No matter how many tears he had shed for his wife, no matter how much he screamed and begged for the gods to restore her life, she had remained cold and lifeless. Bato would remain as such as well. 

Hakoda's eyes filled with tears and he let out a harsh sob as he stared down into the contorted face of his second, his best friend, his brother in all but name. With shaking hands, he slid Bato's eyes closed to make the scene less gruesome; to give the man some sort of respect.

"Chief!" A crewman shouted, and Hakoda pushed himself to his feet. He went to take a deep breath only to find that such a feat felt impossible for the weight on his chest. Nevertheless, he schooled his features, and turned to face the man. 

The crewman looked positively terrified, his brown face smudged with ashes, the set of his mouth grim. He lifted his arm and pointed out to the horizon, and Hakoda's eyes followed the motion. At first, he thought that the man had pointed to a particularly low floating group of storm clouds, so thick was the smoke. After a moment of looking, however, Hakoda learned the terrible truth. 

The Fire Nation navy had not fled. It had led them directly into a trap. 

"Retreat!" Hakoda shouted, rushing to the stern of the ship. His men stood shell shocked for a moment, before they hastened to do as he had commanded. But it was no use. 

Fire Nation war ships came in from all directions. They were being boxed in, and Hakoda knew it was only a matter of time before every last one of those ships launched their attacks. Somehow, the Fire Nation had known exactly what their plans were. Somewhere down the road, someone had betrayed them. 

This was not a battle. It was a massacre. 

-------------------------------

"Azula," Sokka growled, his fists clenching. 

The girl's painted lips stretched into a cruel mockery of a smile. "Surprised to see me? I thought you might be," she said, lifting a hand and examining her nails. "Although I must say, I'd rather hoped that Kyoshi girl would have been here."

Sokka made a strangled sound in the back of his throat, and Azula chuckled. "She was brave the last time I fought her, I'll give her that. Although she whimpered like a baby once I struck her. She kept calling your name over and over again…"

"Shut the hell up!" Sokka exclaimed, taking a step forwards. Toph quickly thrust her arm out in front of him to keep him from doing something rash. 

"My, my. It seems I've touched a nerve," Azula said, the smile still firmly in place. "Wouldn't you agree, Mai?" she then added, turning to her friend. 

The dark robed girl cocked her head as her eyes roved over the Water Tribe warrior, and then she shrugged. 

Azula tossed her bangs out of her eyes, and then looked over at Toph. "Ah, the pretty little Bei Fong girl. Tell me, how does mud agree with you?"

"Perfectly," Toph growled, and Azula laughed cruelly. 

"Well, I suppose we've stretched out the salutations long enough," the princess said with a shrug as she stepped into her firebending stance. The girls beside her slipped into their fighting stances as well, but not before exchanging a long look with each other. 

Before any more words could be said, Azula sprang into action. She moved like a great cat, her body bending and moving with agility and flexibility. She crouched so that her weight rested on one knee, and then she slid her arms in a powerful movement, calling a burst of flame to her hands. She stepped backwards so that her weight rested between her legs and then shot her arm forwards, causing the flame to fly out of her hands. 

Toph crouched low and then thrust her arms up into the air, summoning a rock shield to deflect Azula's flame. Azula grinned in response, and then rushed forwards, ducking the rocks that Toph sent hurtling towards her. She summoned flame daggers to her hands as she closed in on the earth bending girl, and moved into a different stance. 

Toph followed the girl's movements carefully by the vibrations in the earth, and went she felt Azula into close range, she encased her arms with rock. Azula lunged forwards, but Toph sensed it before the movement occurred. She stepped to her side, lifting her rock-gloved hand up to ward off Azula's blow. The Fire Nation princess flew by Toph, missing her target. 

As the battle raged on between the two benders, Mai and Ty Lee had focused their attention on Sokka. The warrior withdrew his boomerang, but held back. He had learned the first time he'd fought these two that rushing into the midst of things wasn't the best of ideas. No, it was far better to hang back and watch them before making his own move. 

The two girls circled around him like vultures around a carcass. The image that brought to mind left a bad taste in Sokka's mouth, and he gripped his weapon tighter, fear suddenly filling him. Then, the girls leapt into action. The dark robed one threw her knives. One whizzed past his ear, the other just barely grazed his arm. 

Before Sokka could frown at the girl's inaccuracy, the pink one dashed forwards. For some reason, her blows missed as well. Once, she jabbed his arm and it fell limply to his side, but the rest of the time, she missed by the fraction of an inch. 

_Maybe the Eclipse is messing with their brains,_ Sokka thought to himself as he observed them as they fought. But then he saw the look that they exchanged and realized that much more was occurring than what met the eye. But then the pink one looked over at where Azula and Toph were fighting, and her efforts suddenly became a lot more serious. 

Sokka too risked a glance in his friend's direction, and what he saw made his stomach drop. Azula was in the air, presumably from a leap she had taken off of something. She was coming to land directly behind Toph, but Sokka knew that the girl wouldn't realize it until it was too late. 

"Toph! Look out behind you!" Sokka shouted just before the acrobat hit him in all his pressure points and he collapsed to the ground. 

Toph heard the cry and re-doubled her efforts to feel the world around her. _Behind you,_ he'd said. But Toph felt no vibrations coming from that direction. An instant later, the vibrations that she had been searching for crashed over her. But before she could make a move, something decidedly cold and sharp had pressed itself against her throat. 

Toph gulped, and for the first time, she truly believed that there was a good chance that they were going to lose the war. 

"You want to know a little secret?" Azula's voice was a whisper directly in her hear, and Toph shuddered. "Someone you trusted is the one who made all of this possible." Toph felt the vibrations in the earth desperately, and could sense the truth in Azula's words. "Someone has betrayed you," Azula continued, her voice still in the same sickly sweet whisper. 

The princess slid one foot forward, and flames shot out from beneath it. The fire consumed one of Toph's feet, and the child cried out in pain. "Just remember, little one," Azula continued, her voice low and now laced with amusement. She slid her other foot forwards, and Toph's other foot was rendered useless. Toph screamed out her agony, and Azula's mouth quirked up into a smirk. 

"Zuko did this to you," she finally whispered, and then stepped away. 

Toph was left writhing on the floor, her world shrouded in complete and total blackness. She wept as she hadn't wept in a long time, her gasps and whimpers making her finally sound like the child that she truly was. Her hard exterior had been stripped away, and she was left blind and frightened. 

An instant later, she was consumed by pain, and then there was no more. 

Sokka shouted Toph's name hoarsely when the screaming had subsided, tears streaming down his cheeks. He had been unable to move, and therefore she had been completely at Azula's mercy. 

"Lay still," the dark robed girl said as she leaned over him, her knife drawn. Sokka did nothing. Her instructions were useless, after all. The acrobat had put him in a state of paralysis. "One of you had to die," the dark robed girl continued, drawing the knife across his throat. "But we were able to save you, at least," she murmured quietly so that Azula couldn't hear. 

Sokka screwed his eyes shut as the blade ran the length of his neck, and pain exploded behind his eyes. However, once she had pulled the blade away, he found that he was still able to breathe. The girl had cut him only deep enough so that the skin would bleed, and she had avoided the jugular all together. 

"Keep your eyes closed; don't breathe. Pretend that you are dead. Once the paralysis wears off, get out of here as fast as you can. Go back to your warrior," the dark robed girl instructed him in a short, harsh whisper. 

Then she was gone. Sokka did as she had bade him, stopping the flow of his tears and pushing Toph's image from his mind. Instead, he focused on Suki… Suki and the child that she was going to bear him. 

Toph may have died, but he would _live. _

----------------------------------

Haru and the earthbenders rejoiced and hollered as the last of the soldiers that they had trapped was felled. His father hurried over to him and clasped him in a tight embrace, a grin stretched across his craggy features. "We did it, my boy!" The man exclaimed. "Won't your mother be proud?"

Haru laughed and returned the embrace, his heart feeling lighter than it had in his entire life. There would be no more Fire Nation soldiers on his soil; they would no longer restrict his bending or make his mother cry. It would all be over soon. After one hundred years, the world would finally defeat the Fire Nation and earn its freedom!

Jet came over to stand by him, the weed placed in his mouth once more. "See?" Jet said, his grin crooked. "I told you that it was just like a game. Piece of cake."

"Piece of cake," Haru repeated the grin still etched upon his features. 

But then the rocks began to tremble. Haru's smile fell, and he stared from them to the rock wall that they had erected. It was sinking back into the ground, and yet none of their earthbenders had moved. "Father?" Haru called out, but the man put up a hand to stop the boy's flow of words. A hush had descended around the previously joyous band, and Haru swallowed hard. 

Then, the ground in front of them erupted. Men dressed in green poured out of the hole, their hats resting low upon their brows. "The Dai Lee," Haru's father whispered, the man's voice filled with both awe and trepidation. 

The Dai Lee were legendary, as far as Haru was concerned. The special group of exceptional earth benders trained eight hours a day to maintain their skill and physique. For a long time, he himself had dreamed of becoming one of them, but that was before they'd heard… Haru's stomach dropped. Before they heard that the Dai Lee had joined forces with the Fire Lord. 

The Fire Nation army rushed out from the hole behind the Dai Lee, and Haru swallowed hard. AS one, the Dai Lee crouched and lifted a rock wall as they themselves had done only several hours before. Only this time, it was his side that were trapped within the rocks; his side that faced certain death. 

Haru swallowed hard and turned to his father. The old earthbender looked down at his son, tears suddenly filling the man's eyes. "I am glad that I was able to see the man you have become," he said softly, and Haru's eyes widened at what his father had just told him. 

They had lost. 

-------------------------------------

"Stay close to me," Zuko whispered to Katara as they ascended the steps that led to the throne room. The woman nodded and resisted the urge to grip her husband's hand as she looked back at Aang. 

"Are you ready?" she murmured, and the boy nodded his assent. Katara took a shuddering breath, and then let it out slowly. 

Zuko was standing before the door now, the one that he said was hidden behind the tapestry of his family. He looked over his shoulder at the two people behind him, and squared his shoulders. His jaw was locked and his face gray, clearly betraying his fear and trepidation. 

Katara saw, and so she stepped up close to him, resting her palms on either side of his cheeks. "Everything's going to be alright," she murmured, and then stood on tiptoe to plant a gentle kiss against his lips. Zuko then pulled her flush against him, wrapping his arms tightly about her waist and angling his head so that he could deepen the kiss. Katara allowed him to do so, despite Aang's presence. If this was the sort of comfort he needed before facing his father, so be it. 

When Zuko finally pulled away, he held her gaze for a long time. "No matter what happens in there," he murmured after a time of silence, and Katara furrowed her brow at the odd way he phrased the beginning of the statement. Zuko leaned down close to her again so that his lips were only a breath away from her own. "I want you to know that I love you." 

With that said he kissed her again, slowly this time. He kept his touch gentle and tender, feeling the acute need to give her a moment such as this to cling to should things go horribly wrong. He lifted a hand to cup the back of her head, as he knew she liked him to, and then drew her closer to him with his other arm. 

This time when he pulled away, Katara's eyes were swimming. "You think something bad is going to happen, don't you?" she breathed, clutching one of his ands with both of her own. 

Zuko lifted his free hand to gently caress his wife's face. "I love you, Katara. Promise me that you'll remember that," he murmured in response, and Katara nodded her head fiercely. 

"Always," she agreed, and Zuko gave her one of those rare tender smiles before lightly brushing his lips across her forehead. 

When he pulled away from her, Katara crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling very cold. She let out a pent up breath, and then looked over her shoulder at Aang, who was pointedly staring at his toes. "Oh," Katara breathed, and then she crushed the boy in her embrace. "You're going to do fine, Aang. I know you will!" Katara exclaimed, and Aang sighed. 

His arms hung limply at his sides for a moment, but then he returned the woman's embrace. "Thanks, Katara," the boy mumbled, blushing slightly from the close proximity that they were in. Katara pulled away from the boy, smiled, and then turned back to Zuko. 

"I think we're ready."

Zuko nodded once before stepping forwards, and pushing the door open.

The throne room was eerily quiet, Zuko noted with unease. He felt Katara rest her hand on his shoulder blade and he nodded to her briefly before he continued to creep forwards. The wall of flame that generally surrounded Ozai's throne was down. Zuko frowned, but then realized why. He felt cold all the way through his body, and when he attempted to summon a flame, he couldn't even create smoke. The eclipse had begun. 

The three continued to walk forwards, and but then Zuko stopped suddenly, his eyes going wide. There was his father, sitting on his throne, looking incredibly imperious despite the disadvantage that he had. Ozai's eyes met those of his son, and Zuko felt jarred to the very bone. 

"I see every dog returns to its master after all," Ozai said after a moment, and to the three gathered below, it seemed that his voice shook the entire room. 

"Father," Zuko replied, his voice hard and cold. Aang stepped out beside him and squared his shoulders in an attempt to make him seem bigger than he really was. 

"And you've brought the avatar along as well. How kind of you to track him down for me." Ozai added, his golden gaze lighting upon the avatar before he turned back to his son. "I suppose you'll grovel for your honor now."

"I never lost my honor, Father," Zuko replied evenly, and Ozai chuckled. 

A door creaked open, and Ozai grinned. "Ah, right on time," the Fire Lord said, and three pairs of footsteps echoed through the hall. Katara swallowed hard and resisted the urge to move behind Zuko for protection. She was a water bending master, after all. She could protect herself! Besides, the last thing she needed was to appear weak before the Fire Lord. 

Azula was suddenly kneeling at her father's throne before she stood to face the avatar and his accomplices. "Hello, Zuzu. Avatar," the girl greeted, and Katara grit her teeth. "I just had a little meeting with your… friends." Azula made her voice intentionally vague, and Katara's heart plummeted. _Oh no…_

"What did you do with them?" Aang demanded, stepping forwards. His face was red and contorted with fury, and his fists were clenched at his sides. The air in the room began to swirl about the boy, and Katara swallowed hard. Zuko merely stared, stone faced, at his younger sister. 

"Oh, nothing… at first." The gleam in Azula's eyes was positively wicked, and the palms of Zuko's hands suddenly got clammy. "But once the little earthbenders feet were burned…" As she said this, she looked directly into Zuko's eyes, and the boy shuddered. This was her payback for his betrayal. She had killed Sokka, as she had promised she would. 

Aang made a strangled noise in the back of his throat, and Katara covered her mouth with her hands at Azula's words, oblivious to Zuko's reaction. 

"…it was easy to cut her down. And once she was dead, the Water Tribe brat was too distracted to watch himself. It's a shame about him really. He would have grown up to be quite the handsome man…"

"Bitch!" Katara shouted hoarsely, tears streaming down her cheeks. Azula's brows raised and her mouth pursed in either annoyance or humor at the girl's outburst. 

"I'd watch my mouth if I were you," Azula said imperiously. "Seeing as how I've learned where your daughter is," she continued, and Katara paled. 

"Leave Nozomi out of this!" Zuko shouted, and Azula arched a brow. 

"So you claim her as well?" She asked, and Zuko clenched his fists at his side. "Well then, she is the daughter of both a traitor and an enemy of our people. She must die."

"She's an innocent child!" Zuko roared, and Azula's lips twisted upwards cruelly. Suddenly, Zuko knew what she was doing. She needed him to turn over Aang; he still had a place in the twisted scheme of hers. She had killed both Sokka and Toph in order to teach him his lesson, and should they fail, she would kill his daughter as well. 

No. That wouldn't be what would happen, Zuko corrected himself. Azula would kill both Katara and Aang to further drive the point home, perhaps kill Iroh at a public execution, find Nozomi and then threaten to kill her as well unless Zuko did as she commanded. 

"What are you going to do about it?" Azula asked, a fire in her eyes as she commanded her brother's gaze. Zuko swallowed convulsively, and he could feel Katara's eyes on him, pleading with him to save the child that they had claimed as their own. 

"Enough!" Aang shouted, summoning a great blast of air to himself and shoving it towards Azula. The girl leapt out of the attack's way and twisted in the air so that she landed on her feet. She faced the boy, her amber eyes glowing with maliciousness. 

Aang uttered a cry and lifted the ground beneath the girl's feet. Azula leapt out of the way and latched onto a column, her agile limbs taking her up from harm's way. Katara chose that moment to step into action, uncorking her water pouch and using a stream of it to freeze Azula's hands to the pole. 

The girl screamed out her fury, and Katara grinned, her eyes feral. Aang shook the ground below the column, but Ozai's voice cut through the battle. 

"If you knock that down, all of us die," he warned, and Aang turned hate filled eyes towards the man. "If that column goes down, the ceiling collapses."

His words had distracted the little group long enough for Azula to free her hands and clamber back down the pole. "Mai!" the princess shouted, and Zuko frantically scanned the room to find the knife wielding girl. His heart stopped when he saw that she was standing directly behind Katara, the edge of one of her blades pressed against the girl's throat. 

Aang stopped bending, and the room fell silent as both boys stared at the woman that they loved. Zuko's heart raced as he went over the events that had led up to this moment with a fine toothed comb. It had been a trap, he saw now. It had all been a trap. 

They had been so distracted by the news Azula had given them about their friends' deaths that they hadn't noticed the dark robed girl slink through the shadows to stand behind them. Azula had choreographed the entire fight- even to her jump onto the column. She had known that Ozai would warn them of the ceiling collapsing; had known that the news would cause a long enough break in the fighting for Mai to slip forwards and catch Katara unawares. And what's more, Azula had known how both boys felt for the girl, and had used it to her advantage. 

Zuko swallowed hard and met Mai's eyes. The girl's face was arranged in a stoic, impassive façade. It was the face of a woman who would not hesitate to kill; the face of a bored aristocrat. But her eyes told a different story. Those brown orbs apologized to him for what she was being forced to do; let him know that if she were a different person; if they were under different circumstances, she would have joined them. 

Zuko then swung his eyes to meet Katara's. Her gaze was full of fear, but also with resignation. "You have to kill Ozai, Zuko," the young woman shouted, despite the knife at her throat. 

"I can't lose you," Zuko replied harshly. "Don't expect me to make that decision!"

"The world is more important than I am, Zuko! Aang is more important than me! The world needs the avatar; it needs its freedom…" Her voice was abruptly cut off when Mai pressed her knife closer to Katara's throat. 

Zuko turned towards his sister, his chest heaving with every breath. That smirk was on her face again: the one that said that she had outwitted him yet again; that she was the prodigy; that he was worthless. Zuko knew his options; knew the choice that she was forcing him to make. He either had to kill his father and lose both Katara and Aang in the process, or he could kill Aang and save his wife's life. 

But to lose Aang… the boy had become a constant in his life. He had taught the boy how to Fire bend, had adopted the child as the brother that he had never had. He couldn't bring himself to look back at the boy, but he knew what he would see. Wide gray eyes boring into him, filled with innocence. He hadn't wanted to be the avatar, Katara had told him. He had never wanted power or war. He had just wanted to be a little monk and live his life in peace. How could he live with himself if he murdered something like that?

But how could he live with himself if his decision to kill his father caused both the innocent child and the woman he loved to die? This time, Zuko risked a look back at Katara, memorized her face in his mind's eye as it was now. Full of fear, yes, but still innocent. She had not yet been corrupted, had not yet had her naivety stripped from her. He wanted to remember her that way, not as the bitter woman he knew she would become. 

"You'll fulfill your end of the bargain?" Zuko asked Azula, and he fought the urge to cringe under the weight of his companion's stares. 

"For the ones not already dead, yes," Azula agreed, and Zuko took a deep breath. 

"And the child?"

"Safe," Azula agreed, and Zuko swallowed hard. His palms were sweating, and his knees weak. He bowed his head, and then looked over at Katara once more. 

"Forgive me," he whispered, his throat too choked for him to manage anything louder. He saw the soft, sad smile that came upon her face, and he knew what she thought. She thought that he was going to kill his father for the sake of the world, and that she would die as a result. 

Zuko felt the fire flood his veins once more, and from the look on his sister's face, she felt it as well. Zuko took a deep, long breath, closed his eyes, and aimed. 

Katara watched with wide as Zuko did so, and then screwed her eyes shut, expecting to feel the knife slash through her throat. Instead, the blade was drawn away, and she reeled in surprise. Katara then opened her eyes, and her world crashed down around her ears. 

Aang lay on the floor, his body charred almost beyond recognition, and she knew without taking a second glance that he was dead. Or at least, her mind knew it. Her heart, though… that was a different matter. She cried out the boy's name before rushing towards him, tripping over her own two feet in the process. But then she was there, by his side, and the blistered flesh of his head was in her lap and her hands were frantically feeling for a pulse. 

She thought she heard somebody calling her name, but she ignored it. Her ears were full of her own heartbeat…her heartbeat and the most ungodly sound she had ever heard. It was like the keening of a Water Tribe woman when she lost her child mixed with the despairing cry of one without hope. It tore through her ears and to her heart, and then water was dripping down her face and onto her hands, but she wasn't sure how it got there. 

She heard her name again , but it was as though it had come from across a great distance. She sniffled, and with that one, small movement she realized that she was the one who was crying, that it was her cry that tore through the hall. Katara staggered to her feet, suddenly feeling the urge to move away from the corpse, and then her stomach was in knots and her throat was burning. Her vision swam, and she fell hard to the ground, but she was scarcely aware of the impact. 

Strong arms were around her, holding her close, but she could barely feel them. Her eyes were focused outside the window, where all of this had truly begun and ended. The moon had past; the eclipse was over. 

The sun shone bright and powerful. 

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	31. Afterward

A part of me is relieved that this segment of the story is complete, although I must admit that I am going to miss writing about the early days of Zuko and Katara's relationship. In the sequel, they are going to face the problems of their relationship head on. They'll wonder, as all couples do, if they rushed things. They'll have to struggle to carve a future for themselves in a world completely dominated by the Fire Nation, should Katara possess the strength to forgive the man who murdered her best friend. 

Sokka and Suki will also search for a new place in the world as Kyoshi is conquered at long last by the Fire Nation, and the Water Tribes have become a dangerous place for women who are with child. 

In addition, the world will have to achieve some sort of balance now that the avatar has been killed and it will be years before the next is old enough to assume the title that Aang vacated…assuming it survives Ozai's wrath. 

Relationships will be both forged and destroyed, children will be born and heroes will die. 

And there is one choice laid before them all: one that their ancestors had been forced to make long before any of their births: Should they accept their fate, or should they fight it with all of their strength?

Look for the sequel of Eclipse…

Varedha


End file.
